Uncategorized Archives - Greater Gatineau Elementary School

The land on which we gather is traditional unceded Omamiwininiwag (Algonquin) and Anishinabewaki territory, a place which has long served as a site of meeting and exchange amongst nations. Today, this place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to gather on this land.

Principal's Message

The holidays are a wonderful time of year, but sometimes there are families that are in need of assistance to help them through this time of year. Please help out some Greater Gatineau families by donating some food items or by requesting an angel tag from our angel tree to buy a gift for a child. We still have 1 angel tag left, and more food items are needed. We are missing the name of the person who has tag “#30” and tag “TT”. Please contact Amanda if you have these tags.

We will be delivering food baskets and gifts to 17 families from our school. We are working with St. Aloysius Church on this holiday project.

Reminder that the last day of school before the holiday is Friday, December 20th. We return to school on Tuesday, January 7th after the winter break.

I’d like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!

PROPER DRESS

With the weather turning colder, we want to remind you that children must be dressed appropriately for the weather. Hats, mittens/gloves, warm coats, snow pants and boots are needed so they can play outside comfortably.

Events at School

SPAGHETTI LUNCH

We will be providing all students with a spaghetti lunch during the week of December 2nd. There will be no charge to the parents, as it is funded by Ministry and PC grants money. Your child will be able to have a healthy meal of spaghetti with Marinara sauce; and they can have some meatballs (all beef) with it as well if they would like.

Thanks to Chef Darrell who will lead the meal preparation!

Your child will just need to bring snacks and their water bottle on their Spaghetti day:

Tuesday December 3^rd – Grade 3 and 4
Thursday December 5^th – Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 6
Friday December 6^th – Grade 2 and Grade 5

SCHOOL MUSICAL

The Drama Club is excited to present the musical Giants in the Sky. Students have been memorizing their lines and rehearsing in the gym since September. The dedicated group of students can’t wait until December 6th when they will present the show at 10:30am and 12:35pm. Parents, family members and friends are welcome to come and see the show!

ROCKS & RINGS

December 16th, 18th, and 20th Greater Gatineau welcomes Rock & Rings. In partnership with Curling Canada, the Egg Farmers Rocks & Rings program is designed to introduce the Olympic sport of curling to elementary school children by bringing curling equipment for interactive physical education games right in the school gym. Rocks & Rings brings the curling rink to the school using unique indoor floor curling equipment to provide a true curling experience without requiring ice! Each class will have a turn to try out their curling skills.

MUSEUM OF HISTORY TRIP

On December 18th the Grade 1 students will be going to the Museum of History. They will be visiting the Children’s museum and going to see a 3D film at the Ciné+ called “Backyard Wilderness”

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Some special activities will take place during the last week before the holiday. Teachers may also have other activities planned in their classrooms.

Holiday Music during entry in the morning
Holiday Jokes
Estimation Jar
Light Up the School with Kindness Bulletin Board

RED/WHITE/GREEN DAY – Monday, December 16

Put on something red, white or green to show-off your spirit for the holiday of your choice.

HOLIDAY SOCKS DAY – Tuesday, December 17

Wear you favourite holiday or seasonal socks.

FESTIVE HAT DAY -Wednesday, December 18

Break out the Santa hat or reindeer antlers or create your own special hat for festive hat day.

HOLIDAY SWEATER DAY -Thursday, December 19

Don your holiday or winter sweater or make your own outfit.

HOLIDAY SING-ALONG – Thursday, December 19

The Holiday Sing-Along will take place on December 19th in the gym. Students will sing various holiday songs. Unfortunately, due to space limitations parents are not able to attend.

PAJAMA DAY – Friday, December 20

As the second part of our Peace Bucket reward, please wear your favourite pajamas and bring your favourite stuffie to celebrate the last day of school for 2024.

MAZZOLA HOT LUNCH

We offer hot meals on Mondays and Fridays here at Greater Gatineau. The company we use is Mazzola.

Place your orders online at order.mazzola.ca

SUBWAY LUNCH

Our Subway lunch program runs right until Wednesday, December 18, 2024. A new form will be sent out for the next program starting in the new year.

MONTHLY ASSEMBLY

Our next assembly will be on Tuesday, December 17th, where we will celebrate the students who have shown the chosen virtue throughout the month.

Please remember to wear your GG shirt (and your holiday socks) for the monthly assembly day. This creates a sense of community at school.

Kindergarten, Grade 1+2 at 8:55
Grade 5+6 at 10:05
Grade 3+4 at 10:55

December is COOPERATION month. We hope to see students making an effort to work together as a team.

PEACE LEARNING CIRCLES AT HOME

Here is a quick and fun energizer you can do at home with your whole family.

It’s called “Do After Me” Sit in a large circle. One person begins by entering the circle and making a gesture, sound, or movement (the more ridiculous, the more fun), and then points to someone else in the circle to succeed them. This person makes the same gesture, sound, or movement as the proceeding person made, and then adds their own performance. They then choose the next person, and this person need only repeat the preceding action and add one before choosing someone new.

The game is over when everyone has had a chance in the circle.

Home & School

The maple products will be arriving soon. For parents who ordered, pick up will be Wednesday, December 4, 3:00pm – 6:30pm. Please enter through the back door of the gym off of Rue Guillemette. This will be your only opportunity to pick up your items.

New to Yule is back! On December 12th, all Greater Gatineau students will have an opportunity to choose a gift for a family member or friend from gently used items that were generously donated by Greater Gatineau families. A Home and School volunteer will wrap the item and send it home with the students for the holiday season.

If you would like to join us, please contact us via email or through our Facebook Page.

We post our communications on our Facebook page, if you haven’t done so already, please follow us to stay up to date on upcoming events.

The next Home & School Meeting will be on Monday, December 9th at 6:00pm. We hold our meetings virtually, please reach out to us via email if you would like to attend.

Daycare

Our daycare is divided into movie themed groups this year. You may know already, but you can ask your child if they are part of the “Inside Out” group, “Beauty and the Beast” group, “Toy Story” group, “Aristocats” group, “Lilo & Stitch” group, or the “Incredibles” group. We have added Films on Friday to our monthly schedule to feature each of the movies which represent our groups.

Daycare Remind messages are sent to @ggdaycare and @ggdaycare2 regarding PD days and other daycare updates. New families please sign up for @ggdaycare2 on the Remind App.

Should you have any questions about our program or to register for the PD days please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer by phone at (819) 663-4842 ext. 3 or e-mail jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca

Next PD day is January 6th and will have a deadline of December 13th for registration.

Special Notes

OUTDOOR EDUCATION AT GREATER GATINEAU

Our mission is to facilitate outdoor learning experiences for all grades. Each class from Kindergarten to Grade 6 receives multiple outdoor experiences facilitated by one of our school’s outdoor specialists. It is our hope that this program will foster a love of learning and promote more experiential learning opportunities for our students. See our Outdoor Education Handbook for more details.

FOOD DRIVE FOR CHRISTMAS

We will be collecting canned food, pickles, pasta, rice, toothpaste, laundry detergent, and any other non-perishable items until Wednesday, December 11^th, 2023.

Please give generously so we will have enough items to help out some families in our school.

Please make sure that you check the expiration dates on the items.

ANGEL TREE

This program helps our less fortunate families make the Christmas season a little brighter.

If you have Angel Tag “#30” or “TT”, you can email Amanda at awells@wqsb.qc.ca to let her know.

Please make sure that all gifts are returned to school no later than Wednesday, December 11^th, so they can be organized for distribution.

Christmas is for children and we hope you can help us put as many smiles as we can on the faces of Greater Gatineau students.

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Cultural Traditions/Observances/Holidays

We are committed to representing the diversity within our Greater Gatineau community. We like to do this through morning announcements and including the dates on the monthly calendar. Please feel free to send us any important dates you would like included.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities – December 3
Created by the United Nations in 1992, this day promotes understanding of disability issues and supports the dignity, rights, and well-being of people with disabilities.

International Volunteer Day – December 5
This day celebrates the vital contributions of volunteers around the world who work to improve their communities.

Bodhi Day – December 8
Bodhi Day celebrates the Buddha’s enlightenment, marking the day he found a path to overcome suffering and reach inner peace.

Human Rights Day – December 10
Human Rights Day marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, promoting equality and the right to education for all.

Las Posadas – December 16 to 24

A traditional Mexican and Latin American celebration that reenacts Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter in Bethlehem. It features nightly processions, prayers, songs, and festive gatherings with food, piñatas, and music, emphasizing faith, community, and preparation for Christmas.

International Migrants Day – December 18
This day raises awareness about migrants’ rights and contributions, and the challenges they face worldwide.

Winter Solstice – December 21
The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year, marking the start of winter.

Hanukkah – December 25, 2024 – January 2, 2025
Also known as the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of the oil.

Christmas – December 25
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus in Christianity and is also a cultural holiday featuring Santa Claus and festive traditions.

Kwanzaa – December 26, 2024 – January 1, 2025
Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday inspired by African harvest festivals, celebrating seven principles like unity, self-determination, and creativity.

Principal's Message

Parent – Teacher interviews are taking place this month, and we would like every parent to attend the interview in person for each of your children. The first report card of the year is a very important one; so parents/guardians and teachers can meet to see how we can work together to help your child succeed! A sign-up will be provided by your child’s homeroom teacher in the next couple of weeks. The interviews will take place in the evening on November 21st and the morning on November 22nd.

Our year is off to a fabulous start! Our teachers have been offering numerous extra-curricular activities for our students. When a new club or team is offered, we announce it in the mornings for students to join. Please encourage your child to listen to the announcements, and to become involved in an activity. Thanks so much to our teachers for offering these activities during their spare time!

The weather is very different from day to day; so please be sure to check the weather daily to ensure your child has appropriate clothing.

Wishing everyone a fabulous month!

CHANGE OF CLOTHES

All children can benefit from having a change of clothes at school. Accidents such as; food spills, wet slides, falls into puddles, etc. can happen to anyone.

We have limited items with limited sizes here at school, and it is no fun to sit in wet or soiled clothes all day.

Please send a change of clothes with your child to be kept at school or in their backpack incase of such a situation.

K4 EXPANSION

The Ministry has approved an expansion to our building to have K4 classes at our school starting next school year. We are very excited about this project!

Construction will be starting in the next few weeks; and we will be ensuring appropriate safety measures at school with respect to the construction zone. The expansion will be located by the gym door entrance from the school yard. More news will follow once the construction begins.

Events at School

ORIENTEERING

Grade 4 students will be exploring how compasses work and how we can use them for orienteering.

Students should be dressed appropriately for outdoor weather on their “Orienteering Day.”

The orienteering activities will be held on the following dates:

Ms. Bauman’s class November 4th
Ms. O’Brien’s class November 5th
Ms. DV’s class November 6th
Mrs. Plue’s class November 7th

TOUCH FOOTBALL

Students from grades 5 & 6 who were selected for the football team will be going to Lord Aylmer Elementary to compete in a Touch Football tournament on November 7th. We wish them luck!

Thanks to Mr. M and M. Lemaire for coaching our teams.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

On November 11^th, Greater Gatineau School will have our Remembrance Day Ceremony to remember all those who have fought and died while serving our country. The ceremony will be held at 10:30 AM. Parents from the armed forces, police, RCMP, etc. are welcome to attend. Please email Mr. Birch at mbirch@wqsb.qc.ca if you want to attend. We are still required to limit numbers, so other parents are unfortunately unable to attend. Members from the Norris branch of the Royal Canadian Legion will be in attendance as well.

Students and staff are encouraged to wear RED on November 11^thfor Remembrance Day. Lest we forget.

ROCK YOUR MOCS DAY AT GREATER GATINEAU

To celebrate Rock your Mocs week, we invite you to wear moccasins or slippers to school on November 15th. Through this event, we honor our Indigenous peoples around the world.

REPORT CARDS

Report Cards will be available on the Parent Portal on November 15th.

PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Parents/Guardians are asked to come to school for in person interviews.. Teachers will be sending out an electronic sign-up later this month.

November 21st – Parent/Teacher interviews scheduled in the evening from 3:00 to 4:00 and 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

November 22nd – Parent/Teacher interviews scheduled in the morning from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.

PHOTO RETAKE DAY

Photo Retake Day will be on November 28th starting at 10:30. Students who require a retake will have an opportunity to get a new photo taken. Link to book

MAZZOLA HOT LUNCHES

We will continue to offer our hot meal program from Mazzola during the months of November and December. Click the link to order.

Mazzola Menu for Greater Gatineau – November + December 2024

Please remember to send reusable cutlery for your child on days they have ordered a meal.

MONTHLY ASSEMBLY

Our next assembly will be on Monday, November 25^th, where we will celebrate the students who have shown the chosen virtue throughout the month.

10:05 – Kindergarten and Grade 1+2
10:55 – Grade 5+6
12:35 – Grade 3+4

Please remember to wear your Greater Gatineau shirt to all of our monthly assemblies. This creates a sense of community at school.

November is INCLUSION month. We hope to see students making an effort to include others who are left out.

PEACE LEARNING CIRCLES AT HOME

How well does your child know their information about home or how well do parents know information about their child’s school?

Parents/guardians can sit on the floor in a circle and pass the ball to one another and asks them the following questions:

Who is your/my teacher?
Who is your/my French teacher?
Who is your/my Gym Teacher? What is the name of your/my bus driver?
What is your/my bus number?
What is your address?
What is your phone number?

These are just a few very important pieces of information that parents and children should know about their home and school.

We have noticed that this information is not known by some parents and students and thought it would be a good exercise for everyone to learn this information.

Home & School

Thank you to everyone who attended our first dance in several years. It was a huge success.

Our next event will be a holiday themed movie night on November 29th, stay tuned for more details…. A flyer will be sent home.

The maple fundraiser is back in time for the holiday season! Details about how to order were sent home in your child’s backpack and in an email from your child’s teacher.

To place an order, visit our online store which opened October 28 and will close November 15 at 11:59pm. All orders must be submitted online.

https://north-hatley-campagne-de-financement.myshopify.com

PASSWORD: Gatineau2024

New to Yule is back! A flyer with details will be sent home shortly. We are looking for gently used items to be donated. Please drop off any items at the school

If you would like to join us, please contact us via email or through our Facebook Page.

We post our communications on our Facebook page, if you haven’t done so already, please follow us to stay up to date on upcoming events.

The next Home & School meeting will be on Monday, November 25th at 6:00pm.

Daycare

There are two PD days this month. November 1st is open to all Greater Gatineau School students who registered before the deadline of October 25th.

The second PD day is on November 22nd with a registration deadline on the 15th. Make sure to register your children before the deadline if they would like to attend.

Please sign up for @ggdaycare2 on the Remind app to get the notifications regarding PD days.

Should you have any questions about our program or to register for the PD days please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer by phone at (819) 663-4842 ext. 3 or e-mail jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca

Special Notes

WQSB APP

Sign up for the WQSB app to hear updates directly from the WQSB regarding transportation delays; Check out the notice How to install and setup the WesternQC app

TERRY FOX FUNDRAISER

Thank you to all who donated to the Terry Fox Fundraiser. We raised $5460 for cancer research. Because we surpassed our fundraising goal we got to see Mr. Fleming duct taped to the gym door!

ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION REMEMBRANCE EVENT

Norris Branch 227 of the Royal Canadian Legion would like to extend an invitation to the students of Greater Gatineau School and their families to attend its Remembrance Day Ceremony which will take place on Sunday, November 10, 2024.

Individuals who would like to march in the parade are invited to join us at Norris Branch located at 231 Maloney Blvd. at 1:00 p.m. where we will form the parade and march to the Cenotaph.

FOOD DRIVE FOR CHRISTMAS

We will be collecting canned food, pickles, pasta, rice, toothpaste, laundry detergent, and any other non-perishable items from Tuesday, November 19th to Wednesday, December 11th.

Please give generously so we will have enough items to help out some families in our school.

Please make sure that you check the expiration dates on the items.

If your family is in need of a food basket, please email Mrs. Link at vlink@wqsb.qc.ca.

ANGEL TREE

This program helps our less fortunate families at Greater Gatineau make the Christmas season a little brighter.

Starting November 19th you can receive an angel tag which would have “boy” or “girl” marked on it with their age. You would purchase an age appropriate gift valued at approximately $25.00. You wrap the gift and send it back to the school with the angel tag taped onto the gift so we can make sure it gets to the right person.

If you are interested in an Angel Tag, you can email Amanda at awells@wqsb.qc.ca and we will be happy to send one home with your child or you can stop by the main office to pick one up from Amanda.

We will record your name to help us keep track of who has the Angel Tags and ensure that all children receive a gift.

Please make sure that all gifts are returned to school no later than Wednesday, December 11th, so they can be organized for distribution.

Christmas is for children and we hope you can help us put as many smiles as we can on the faces of Greater Gatineau students.

LOST AND FOUND

We have many items in our lost and found here at school. Please remind your children to check for any lost items.

It is also very helpful if you label your children’s items. The first thing we do is check for names in the items so that we can reunite them with the appropriate person.

Please stop by the Lost and Found during Parent/Teacher Interviews. It is located near the main washrooms on the bottom floor of the school close to the gym.

LICE CHECKS

We ask that parents check their child’s head at least once a week or more if their child has had a case of lice. If you discover lice, please call the school so that we can follow appropriate procedures.

Also a reminder to the children to put their hat in their backpack or the sleeve of their jacket to help stop the spread here at school.

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Cultural Traditions/Observances/Holidays

November 1st-2nd – Dia De Los Muertos
Día de los Muertos, celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, is a Mexican holiday that honors deceased loved ones with vibrant altars and festivities.

November 11 – Remembrance Day
Honors the sacrifices of armed forces members who have served in wartime, commemorating the end of World War I and promoting reflection on the impact of war and support for veterans.

November 10 -16 – Rock Your Mocs Week
Rock Your Mocs provides a wonderful opportunity to unite in celebrating Indigenous individuality by wearing moccasins. Through this event, we honor our Indigenous peoples around the world.

November 14 – World Diabetes Day
Is a global awareness campaign focused on diabetes prevention, management, and care.

November 20 – National Child Day
This day promotes and recognizes children’s rights. It commemorates the adoption of key UN declarations, raising awareness about the importance of protecting and supporting children’s well-being.

November 20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance
Trans Day of Remembrance and Resilience, an annual international observance. This day honors the memory of trans individuals who have lost their lives due to transphobic violence.

Principal's Message

Thanks to all parents who came to our Open House/Meet the Teacher this year – it was a fabulous turnout! A few important items for the upcoming month:

School Fees are available on the portal. Please pay them right away. Thank-you to those who have made their payments.
The October Progress Reports will be available on the Parent Portal on Tuesday, October 15^th.
When choosing a Halloween costume with your child, please ensure to think about cultural appropriation. Please don’t dress in another culture’s fashion or symbols, as this is seen as offensive, even if this is not the intent. More information can be found here: Cultural Appropriation Video
Bringing treats to school: If you would like to bring a treat for your child’s class; please first check with your child’s Homeroom teacher. Due to numerous allergies and food intolerances at school; only packaged treats with a list of ingredients will be allowed at school; or a fruit or veggie platter.

Please be sure to review the newsletter carefully to see all of the important and exciting news this month!

ITEMS COMING TO SCHOOL

Cell phones, electronics, and toys are not permitted at school, or on the bus.

Children can bring their lunch box, water bottle, and extra clothing in their backpack but all other items must remain at home.

Events at School

TERRY FOX WALK/RUN

Our 2024 Terry Fox School Run/Walk is scheduled to take place on Friday October 4th at 8:55am. This event will support cancer research while also building incredible school spirit for our students. Let’s all show the great strength and resiliency of our school community by supporting one of our greatest Canadian heroes, Terry Fox.

Link to Donate

BREAKFAST PROGRAM

Our breakfast program is running well, thanks to our grant from the Breakfast Club of Canada and our nutrition grant from the Ministry. We are accepting cash donations to go towards the program if you are interested. Please send donations in an envelope marked “Breakfast Club”.

All students will be offered the breakfast program, regardless if you make a donation or not.

MONTREAL TRIP

The grade six students will be visiting Montreal for an overnight trip from October 15th to 16th. They will spend time at the Montreal Science Centre, have a scavenger hunt in Old Montreal, then spend the night in St. Jerome. There is a pool with a waterslide at the hotel. There will be a Subway lunch on the first day, dinner at Saveurs Des Continents, and breakfast at the hotel.

This trip is a great educational experience as well as an opportunity to be away from home with friends, see new things, and celebrate the start of Grade 6!

SOCCER TOURNAMENT

Our soccer teams will attend the tournament on October 10th in Quyon this year. Thanks to Mr. Everson and Mrs. MD for coaching our teams. Go, GG Grizzlies, Go!

OUTDOOR EDUCATION TRIP

The Grade 5 and 6 classes will be hiking to Lac Beauchamp for an outdoor education day experience. Classes will participate in activities that promote team building. Hamburgers will be served for lunch! Funds will be provided by a ministry grant.

- October 8 – Grade 5
- October 29 – Grade 6

HALLOWEEN AT SCHOOL

Students are invited to wear their costume to school on Thursday, October 31st. For safety reasons, students must leave weapons, and props (anything that they hold in their hands) at home. If students have a mask, they will only be allowed to wear it during the indoor parade. Unfortunately parents are unable to attend due to lack of space.

When choosing a Halloween costume with your child, please ensure to think about cultural appropriation. Please don’t dress in another culture’s fashion or symbols, as this is seen as offensive, even if this is not the intent. More information can be found here: Cultural Appropriation Video

We will have a whole school costume parade and many classes will participate in various Halloween activities.

In the weeks following Halloween, please save the candy and treats for at home. Continue to send healthy options for lunch and snack time.

MONTHLY ASSEMBLY

Our next assembly will be on Monday, October 28^th, where we will celebrate the students who have shown the chosen virtue throughout the month.

Kindergarten + Grade 1&2 at 8:55
Grade 5&6 at 10:05
Grade 3&4 at 10:55

October is RESPONSIBILITY month. We hope to see students showing us how responsible they are. You can show this by doing what you say you are going to do, taking care of yourself and your belongings, and being reliable.

Please wear your GG shirt to create a sense of community at school.

PEACE LEARNING CIRCLES AT HOME

When sitting around the table for dinner, families can play “That’s Me!” to learn about everyone’s day.

Taking turns, each person says one thing about their day. If anyone else had the same thing happen in their day, they raise their hands and say, “That’s Me!” This can promote further discussion on replies.

Sample statements that parents can use:

“I read something interesting today.”
“I learned something new today”
“Someone told me something today that made me laugh.
“Someone gave me/I gave someone a compliment today”.

Home & School

Thank you to everyone who attended our first movie night – Inside Out 2. It was a huge success.

Our next event will be held October 25th, stay tuned for more details….

We are always looking for new members to join us or ideas for upcoming events, please contact us via email or through our Facebook page.

We will continue to post on our Facebook page, if you haven’t done so already, please follow us to stay up to date on upcoming events.

We hold monthly meetings, please reach our next meeting will be held virtually on Monday, October 21st, 6:00pm. Please reach out to us via email if you would like to attend.

Daycare

Registration has been finalized for this year. Moving forward, if your child requires regular daycare services, you will have to wait for a spot to be vacated by another child. Drop-in days available depending on each group numbers each day.

There are two PD days this month. October 17^th and 18^th, These days are open to all Greater Gatineau School students. We will be at school both days for activities planned by the educators. The deadline for registration is Wednesday, October 11^th.

New families, please sign up for @ggdaycare2 on the Remind app to get the notifications regarding PD days and other important daycare information.

Should you have any questions about our program or to register for the PD days please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer by phone at (819) 663-4842 x3 or e-mail jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca

Special Notes

GOVERNING BOARD

On Wednesday, September 11th, the Governing Board had their General Assembly. We would like to welcome our returning parent members: Christine Veillette and Adrea Sinclair and our new members Victoria Markham, Sara Ménard, Victoria Schorr and John Girard.

The next governing board meeting will be on October 9th at 6:00 p.m.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

We ask that parents/guardians please take a minute to call or email the school and advise us if your child is going to be late or absent. You only need to contact the school, as daycare is advised of the absences each day.

We have close to 500 students in the school and it is very helpful when parents contact the school.

You can reach Amanda Wells at (819) 663-4842 ext. 1 or email; awells@wqsb.qc.ca Please try to let us know before 8:30 a.m.

If you are sending a note or an e-mail to your child’s teacher about an absence or picking them up early, please ensure that Amanda receives a copy so she can remind the teacher and have your child waiting at the office upon your arrival.

CHANGES TO PICK UP ROUTINE

Parents of all students are reminded that information regarding attendance at school or an early pick up at, or before, 2:35 should be directed to Amanda Wells at the office (819) 663-4842 ext. 1 or awells@wqsb.qc.ca.

Information regarding a change in who will pick up your child at daycare (between 2:35 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.) should be directed to Jennifer Plaxton at the daycare (819) 663-4842 ext 3 or jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca.

To help us out, please make sure that we always receive a note, email, or call before picking up your child. It is very important that we receive the information before 1:30 p.m.

Our list for the day’s changes has to be compiled and sent out to the teachers and daycare before 2:00 p.m., so please respect our cut-off time.

WQSB VIRTUAL LIBRARY RESOURCES

Did you know our virtual library is just a click away? Whether you’re seeking academic support, engaging reads, or tools for creative projects, we’ve got you covered! Explore our extensive collection of eBooks, audiobooks, research databases, and educational videos—all available 24/7. See the Virtual Library Guide 2024-2025 for the usernames and passwords to the resources available to all WQSB families.

Happy reading!

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Cultural Traditions/Observances/Holidays

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 1- International day of older persons

Established by the United Nations to recognize the contributions of older people to society, raise awareness about the challenges of aging, and promote the well-being and rights of the elderly worldwide.

October 1- World Vegetarian Day

Promotes the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle for health, the environment, and animal welfare.

October 2- International Day of Non-Violence

Observed in honor of Mahatma Gandhi, promotes non-violence, peace, and tolerance globally through education and advocacy.

October 2 – 4 – Rosh Hashanah

Jewish New Year, a two-day holiday with prayers, the blowing of a ram’s horn, and special meals, marking a time of reflection and renewal.

October 6- World Cerebral Palsy Day

raises awareness about cerebral palsy, advocates for the rights of individuals living with the condition and promote inclusion and understanding.

October 10- World Mental Health Day

Raises awareness about mental health issues and stigmas, promotes mental well-being, and advocates for better mental health care globally.

October 11- Yom Kippur

The Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in Judaism, observed with fasting, prayer, and reflection, as individuals seek forgiveness and reconciliation with God and others.

October 14- Thanksgiving

A national holiday that gives thanks for the harvest and blessings of the past year, marked by feasts with family and friends.

October 31- Diwali

Also known as the Festival of Lights, is a major Hindu festival celebrating the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance, marked by lighting lamps, prayers, feasts, and fireworks.

October 31- Halloween

Principal's Message

I have three special requests for all parents, which will help to ensure a productive and safe school year.

We would like all parents to attend the “Open House” (Meet the teacher) on Wednesday, September 11th at 5:30 p.m. This evening is of great importance for you to know the routines and outline of the curriculum for the year. Meeting your child’s teacher will help form the important relationship of school and home. We will have staff members at school to watch your school-aged children in the gym and in the yard if you are unable to find childcare for the evening. If you bring a child under the age of 5 years, they will need to go with you to the Open House. All parents should meet in the gym at 5:30pm.
Sign-up for the REMIND app. All parents must sign up for the app as this is the way that the school communicates to parents (newsletters, school closure, transportation cancellation, emergency situations, etc.) Please only sign up for one REMIND class, even if you have more than one child. Please sign up with the code of your youngest child. There is not enough room in each class for you to sign up for more than one; and all messages sent are sent to the whole school (all classes).
Sign up for the WQSB app to hear updates directly from the WQSB regarding transportation delays; Check out the notice How to install and setup the WesternQC app

We will have monthly assemblies recognizing certain students. We ask students and staff to wear their purple or black GG shirt to the assemblies. We do not yet have shirts for our kindergarten students. We will distributes them when we receive the new order.

We are looking forward to a fun-filled year of learning.

Wishing everyone a fabulous year!

REMIND APP

It is important for all families to sign up for our communication tool. Please see the instructions at the end of the newsletter or click the link here.

REMIND APP SIGN-UP

SCHOOL FEES

We will be collecting school fees for 2024-2025 soon. Preferred method of payment is online. Parents who used this method last year will be able to use their existing account. Amounts will be available on the parent portal shortly.

Events at School

SCHEDULES

KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 2

Buses Arrive	7:45-7:55
Homeroom	7:55-8:05
Period 1	8:05-8:55
Period 2	8:55-9:45
Recess	9:45-10:05
Period 3	10:05-10:55
Period 4	10:55-11:45
Lunch -Eat 25 minutes -Play 25 minutes	11:45-12:35
Period 5	12:35-1:25
Recess	1:25-1:45
Period 6	1:45-2:35
Buses Depart	2:35-2:45

GRADE 3 TO 6

Buses Arrive	7:45-7:55
Homeroom	7:55-8:05
Period 1	8:05-8:55
Period 2	8:55-9:45
Recess	9:45-10:05
Period 3	10:05-10:55
Period 4	10:55-11:45
Lunch -Play 25 minutes -Eat 25 minutes	11:45-12:35
Period 5	12:35-1:25
Recess	1:25-1:45
Period 6	1:45-2:35
Buses Depart	2:35-2:45

IMPORTANCE OF DAILY READING

We encourage every student in the school to read every night. Start the year off right by setting aside time where the TV, video games and computers are shut off and you have time to enjoy reading with your child. It will make a huge difference in the success they have at school.

VOLUNTEERING AT THE SCHOOL

If you would like to volunteer at the school, or for a field trip; you must provide a security background check to the school. Security background checks are good for 2 years.

If you would like to arrange for a background check please contact Amanda Wells at awells@wqsb.qc.ca to start the process.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

We have held assemblies for all students to review our emergency procedures at school: Fire Drill, Code Red, Lock-In, Tornado, Earthquake.

Teachers have been practicing with students asn we will have school-wide practices as well.

OPEN HOUSE

On September 11th parents are invited to attend this year’s open house. The evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. and parents will meet in the gym for announcements and a presentation from administration, including information about Governing Board elections and our Home and School parent committee.

Teachers will give one presentation from 5:50 p.m. – 6:20 p.m., and a second one from 6:20 p.m. to 6:50 p.m. to accommodate parents who have more than one child in the school.

The homeroom teachers will outline the programming and routines for the year. The French teachers will also be available for you to meet and ask questions.

We would like for all parents to attend the open house.

TERRY FOX FUNDRAISER

We are excited to announce that our school will be proudly taking part in the 2024 Terry Fox School Run/Walk, scheduled to take place on Friday October 4th. This event will support cancer research while also building incredible school spirit for our students. Let’s all show the great strength and resiliency of our school community by supporting one of our greatest Canadian heroes, Terry Fox.

Details to follow. Link to Donate

SCHOOL PHOTOS

Get your smiles ready for school photo day!

We will have our photo day on September 27th.

MONTHLY ASSEMBLY

Our next assembly will be on Wednesday, September 25^th, where we will celebrate the students who have shown the chosen virtue throughout the month.

8:55 – Grade 3 + 4
10:05 – Kindergarten, Grade 1 + 2
10:55 – Grade 5 + 6

Please remember to wear your GG shirt for all of our monthly assemblies. This creates a sense of community at school. New students will receive their shirts soon. You can wear a regular purple or black shirt for now.

September is KINDNESS month. We hope to see students showing us how kind they can be. You can show this by being kind to others and yourself.

PEACE LEARNING CIRCLES AT HOME

MUTUAL RESPECT

What does it look like, sound like and feel like to respect others, yourself and things around you?

Talk about this with your family to set the tone for the school year.

APPRECIATIONS

Give compliments not put-downs to others. This applies at school and at home.

Share ways you can do this with your family.

ATTENTIVE LISTENING

Show people you are listening by stopping what you are doing and looking at them when they talk.

Listen to understand not to respond.

PARTICIPATION

Things are better when everyone participates. What does each person need in order to take part? Do you need to modify things in the environment or the activity itself?

ORANGE SHIRT DAY

September 30^th is a day when we honour the Indigenous children who were sent away to residential schools in Canada and learn more about the history of those schools. We invite everyone to wear an orange shirt on September 30^th.

Breakfast Program - Snacks - Lunchtime Choices

BREAKFAST PROGRAM

We are pleased to bring you a breakfast program so that students can have access to wholesome food in a nourishing and comforting environment for a healthy start to the day. The program is designed specifically to comply with public health guidelines and will be operated in collaboration with Breakfast Club of Canada.

Each morning, an assortment of food items are delivered to each class, for all students to enjoy. If a child forgets their lunch one day, or needs additional snacks, we can provide this as well.

See additional information about the Breakfast Program here.

SUPPORT A CHILD BY PURCHASING A LUNCH

We have some students who could benefit from a lunch provided at school. If you would like to donate money for this cause, please send in an envelope marked “Student Lunch Donation” and send it to Amanda at the office.

GOOD FOOD CHOICES

The Greater Gatineau School staff encourages students to bring nutritious snacks and lunches. We want our students eating healthy food throughout the day. We encourage you to send snacks in reusable containers and to avoid heavily packaged prepared items. All staff will monitor snacks and lunches daily. Let’s make this a community effort.

Some suggestions for snacks:

Fruits
Vegetables
Cheese and other dairy products
100% fruit juices and snacks
Granola Bars (no chocolate coating)
Healthy cereals

Foods to stay away from:

Chocolate
Candy
Chips
Processed fruit snacks and juices
Soft drinks

Reminder that we are a nut free school. Please make sure that the products you choose respect this.

Some classes may receive more specific instructions regarding other items of concern.

MAZZOLA HOT MEAL PROGRAM

We offer our hot meal program on Mondays and Fridays. The meals are provided by Mazzola and delivered to the classes at lunch time.

Click the Mazzola link to order. Be sure to select Greater Gatineau when you create your account.

Menu – How to order

SUBWAY LUNCH PROGRAM

The first Subway Lunch Program begins on Wednesday, September 18th.

You can sign up for your child to receive a sandwich, juice box, and cookie combo each Wednesday.

SAY NO TO SINGLE USE PLASTIC

Here at Greater Gatineau, we would like to promote minimal waste with single use plastic.

We encourage everyone to bring a set of metal cutlery in their lunch box and a reusable water bottle daily.

Home & School

We are always looking for new members to join us or ideas for upcoming events, please contact us via email gghomeandschool@gmail.com or through our Facebook page.

We will continue to post on our Facebook page, if you haven’t done so already, please follow us to stay up to date on upcoming events facebook.com/GreaterGatineau.

We hold monthly meetings, please reach out to us via email if you would like to attend.

Daycare

We are still accepting registrations for our before and after school daycare program. If you would like more information either on PD days or to register your child, please call Jennifer at (819) 663-4842 X3 or e-mail jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca.

The deadline to secure your spot at daycare is September 30^th.

We have one PD day this month on Friday, September 13th. Registration was due September 6th to reserve a spot. PD days are open to all Greater Gatineau students, registration is needed for each day. New families please sign up for @ggdaycare2 on the Remind app to get the notifications regarding PD days. Returning families can remain in their existing class as messages will be sent to both daycare classes.

Special Notes

MORNING DROP OFFS

If registered daycare parents are dropping off their children for morning daycare you must bring them through the school yard entrance of the school off Guillemette or Napoléon-Groulx between 6:45 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. You ring the bell at the daycare door located near the play structure with the purple slides, and wait until a staff member has responded.

If you are dropping off your child in the morning and are not registered in Daycare, you can bring your child to the side gate on Guillemette between 7:45 – 7:55 a.m. Staff members will greet the children when it is time for supervision to begin.

Supervision begins at 7:45 a.m. Children must remain in your care until then.

PICKING UP AFTER SCHOOL

If you are picking your child up anytime throughout the day, please do one of the following before 1:30 p.m.

-Call the school secretary Amanda Wells at 819-663-4842 ext. 1

-Send an e-mail to awells@wqsb.qc.ca and cc: jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca if it changes anything for daycare.

It is very important that you communicate with the school before dropping in to pick up your child and please do not call us when you are on your way to the school.

Daily pick up will be at the side gate between 2:35 and 2:45. Staff members will greet the parents and send your children out to your car.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

It is extremely important that parents/guardians call the office if their child is going to be late or absent, it is very important that you report their attendance to Amanda Wells by contacting the school at (819) 663-4842 ext. 1 no later than 8:30 a.m.

It takes a lot of time to call parents, who have not reported an absence, so please help us out by calling the school. You can leave a message the night before as well.

GOVERNING BOARD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The Governing Board: A True Decision-Making Team. Bill 180 created a form of partnership between users of the school (i.e. parent) and the school staff and also recognizes that the school must maintain links with the community. The Governing Board makes important decisions regarding the school, and gives input to the School Board about their policies. The Governing Board meets approximately 5 times a year in the evening.

Elections for Governing Board will take place on September 11th following the open house. Please come to the meeting to run for a position, or to elect a parent member. We will also be nominating a parent for the school board special education advisory committee (SEAC). Any parent of a child with an IEP can put their name forward for this committee and one parent will be elected. The meeting will be at 6:50 p.m. in the staffroom.

ANTI – BULLYING PROGRAM

Greater Gatineau staff members have been trained in anti-bullying initiatives, and we are committed to ensuring the safety and security of students at school.

If your child complains about an act of violence, or bullying at school, please contact us so that we can address the issue. Please check our website for more details.

SCHOOL RULES ABOUT BULLYING

We Help
We Include
We Tell
Don’t Bully

PEACE LEARNING CIRCLES

Our school follows the Peace Learning Circles program. The program is designed to create a safe and caring learning environment. The 4 pillars of the philosophy are:

Mutual Respect
Appreciations – No Put Downs
Listening
Participation

ELECTRONICS/PHONES/SMART WATCHES

These devices are NOT permitted at school, or on the school bus. Please ensure that your child does not bring an electronic device to school.

ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR PARENTS

Every year, our school holds a General Assembly for parents in September. At the meeting, parents in attendance elect their representatives to the school’s governing board and elect a representative to the school board’s Parent Committee, as well as an alternate in case the Parent Committee rep cannot be present at the meeting. Parents at the general assembly also decide if they would like to form a Parent Participatory Organization (PPO) for the upcoming year. Finally, there is also an opportunity for interested parents who are eligible, to submit their names to be considered as candidates on the Special Education Advisory Committee.

Elections for Parent Representatives to Governing Board

On September 11th at 6:50 p.m., parents are invited to our parents’ General Assembly in the staff room to elect their representatives to the school’s governing board. Candidates will be elected from among the parents in attendance. The Governing Board is comprised of parents, teachers, support staff, the principal, and community representatives.

Parent members serve for two consecutive years. The purpose of the Governing Board is to make decisions about the aims and objectives for the school and to monitor how these are being achieved. This includes voting on policies, fundraisers, the school’s Code of Conduct, Anti-bullying and Anti-violence Plan, budget, school fees, school trips and other important items. The governing board also oversees the implementation of the school’s Educational Project and is consulted on a variety of topics by the school board.

There is a minimum of five meetings that must take place each year. Some schools organize governing board meetings to take place one evening per month. If you are interested in becoming part of this organization, please ensure that you attend the parents’ General Assembly. All parents who are present will be able to nominate themselves or another parent who is present, and then vote for the candidates of their choice to fill the vacant positions up for election this year.

Elections for Representatives to Parent Committee

Once governing board parent representatives are elected, one of the parents (on governing board) will also be elected to represent our school on the school board’s Parent Committee. An alternate will also be elected. Only parents in attendance are permitted to vote.

Special Education Advisory Committee

The Special Education Advisory Committee is an advisory committee on services for students requiring special education services in our schools. More detailed information on the mandate is available within the SEAC Internal Procedures document or can be found on the WQSB website https://westernquebec.ca/interested-in-joining-seac/ .

Parents who wish to take part in the school board’s Special Education Advisory Committee (S.E.A.C.) have an opportunity to submit their names for consideration during the parents’ General assembly. For those interested in being part of SEAC but cannot attend the Annual General Meeting, it is possible to submit their name electronically by accessing a short form available at the SEAC page (see link directly above).

Interested parents must have a child with an Individual Education Plan (I.E.P.). Selection of parents for this committee will be made later by the school board’s Parent Committee.

SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SEAC)

For information regarding special needs students please see our Special Needs Information Page and the link to the SEAC Overview.

If you would like to join SEAC see the SEAC Parent Poster

CONNEXIONS

Connexions links the English-speaking community of the Outaouais to health and social services by:

Fostering community links with public and community health and social services organizations.
Providing information and referrals to community members.
Actively supporting research and awareness on the needs of the community.
Developing and delivering health promotion programs and activities.
Promoting access through partnerships and representation.

Connections offers FREE workshops throughout the year. They range from Reducing Anxiety to Container Gardening for Seniors and Cooking for the Whole Family.

See all their upcoming workshops on their website here –Workshops

They are a great resource to our English-speaking community here in Gatineau. We have a permanent link to their website under “Principal’s Message” on the “Workshops” menu.

Sign up for the REMIND App

We use the REMIND app as a tool for communication here at Greater Gatineau. It is important for all families to sign up to get reminders about school events, bus changes or cancellations, special activities, and important updates. You can get the app on your smartphone or sign up to receive emails. Follow the instruction below to sign up.

1. On your cell phone go to the app store. Look for the “Remind” app

2. Download the app. Click on the “Join a Class” button.

3. For school reminders from Mrs. Link there are classes created based on your child’s grade level.

Codes for 2024-2025

Kindergarten student = gges2024
Grade 1 student = ggs2023
Grade 2 student = ggs2022
Grade 3 student = ggs2021
Grade 4 student = ggs2020
Grade 5 student = ggsr2019
Grade 6 student = ggsr2018

4. For daycare reminders from Jennifer Plaxton the class is called ggdaycare2. This is for daycare specific reminders only, you will also need to sign up for a school class code as well. Returning families can remain on their existing class.

You only need to sign up for one school class as the messages will be sent out to all classes. The class code will follow your child as they move up at our school. Please sign up for your youngest child’s class so you will continue to receive the messages for the duration of their time here at Greater Gatineau.

To get reminders by email

Go to www.remind.com/join you will be prompted to find your class. The class codes are the same as above for school and for daycare.

You will then be prompted to enter your name and e-mail address or phone number. We suggest email because there are some phone carriers who do not support text messages from remind. If you have signed up for remind in the past you can go to your account settings to modify how you receive your messages. Push notifications will come up in the app and the email option will send an email to the address of your choice.

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Cultural Traditions/Observances/Holidays

As we approach the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th, Greater Gatineau School is committed to fostering a deeper understanding and respect for First Nations, Métis and Inuit cultures and histories. Classrooms will dedicate time hold meaningful discussions and participate in activities that reflect on the impact of residential schools. We encourage our school community to wear orange to show solidarity and honor the survivors and their families. Together, let’s walk the path of reconciliation and commit to ongoing learning and reflection.

September 2- Labour day

Labour Day is an annual celebration of workers’ achievements, rooted in the Labour union movement’s eight-hour day campaign.

September 5- International Dot Day

International Dot Day, is a global event that encourages creativity and self-expression, inspired by the children’s book “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds.

September 8- International Literacy Day

International Literacy Day raises awareness about the importance of literacy as a fundamental human right and a foundation for lifelong learning.

September 15- International Day of Democracy

International Day of Democracy, promotes and upholds the principles of democracy and encouraging governments to strengthen democratic institutions.

September 21- International Day of Peace

International Day of Peace is dedicated to promoting global peace and non-violence, encouraging individuals and nations to work together towards resolving conflicts and fostering harmony.

September 22 – September 28 – Gender Equality Week

Gender Equality Week is a time to focus on and promote equal rights and opportunities for all genders.

September 23- Celebrate Bisexuality Day

Celebrate Bisexuality Day is dedicated to recognizing and supporting the bisexual community, raising awareness, and promoting understanding and acceptance of bisexual people.

September 30- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, honours the survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities, and aims to raise awareness about the history and impact of residential schools and its ongoing impact on Indigenous peoples.

Principal's Message

We have had a successful year at Greater Gatineau, but sadly it has come to an end.

I would like to wish all of our grade 6 students all the best as they move onto the next stage of their life.

I hope that everyone enjoys a relaxing and peaceful summer and you’re able to enjoy the outdoors!

REMIND APP

It is important for all families to sign up for our communication tool to receive messages and updates from the principal.

REMIND APP SIGN-UP

Important Dates and Information

JULY 1

Holiday for Canada Day

JULY 22-AUGUST 2

School Board summer shut-down.

AUGUST 26-28

Teachers back in the school for Professional Development Days.

AUGUST 29

(DAY 1) First day back for all students in grade 1-6. Kindergarten students will have 15 minute appointments to “Meet the Teacher”. Parents can bring school supplies to this appointment.

AUGUST 30

(DAY 2) The first half of the kindergarten students will come to school for their first full day. The second half will stay home.

SEPTEMBER 2

Holiday for Labour Day

SEPTEMBER 3

(DAY 3) The second half of the kindergarten students will come to school for their first full day. The first half will stay home.

SEPTEMBER 4

(DAY 4) All students are in school full time from now on.

SEPTEMBER 11

Greater Gatineau Open House at 6:00 PM. Governing Board General Assembly at 7:30 PM.

SEPTEMBER 13

First PD day of the school year. School is closed and Daycare is open for registered students.

SUPPLY LISTS 2024-2025

REGISTRATION

If you need to register your children for our school, please contact our registration secretary Amanda Wells by email at awells@wqsb.qc.ca or phone (819) 663-4842 x1.

Reminder that the school board is closed from July 22nd to August 2nd.

SCHOOL FEES 2024-2025

To plan for back-to-school, see the memo for School Fees 2024-2025

Home & School

Message from the President, Heather Phillips

I want to wish all Greater Gatineau families a very happy summer. We look forward to the 2024/2025 school year and hosting many more activities and events.

Thank you to everyone who attended the carnival this year, it was a huge success. A little rain couldn’t dampen our end of year festivities.

On behalf of all the H&S members, I want to thank everyone who supported the Home and School throughout the year. This year we held many fundraisers and activities such as the cookie dough, maple, and auction fundraisers, along with our popular movie nights and the yoga night activities. We will be meeting with the school to determine the best way to distribute the approximately $6,000 we have raised throughout the year.

We have two long time members who will be leaving the H&S as their children are changing school. A special thank you to Kara Bedell and Vanessa Fillion for their dedication and many volunteer hours over the past few years. You will be missed.

Reminder that we are always looking for new members to join the Greater Gatineau Home and School. Please reach out if you are interested in joining. Our first meeting will most likely early in September.

Daycare

Thanks to our parents, children and educators for a fantastic year! We really came together as a team to make it through. Some of you will be moving on next year and we wish you well. Some of you will be returning and we are excited to see what next year brings. We hope you all have a wonderful summer.

All students have been registered with the same attendance for next year. If your needs have changed please let us know.

Should you have any questions about our program you can see our information page or to register for daycare next year please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer by phone at (819) 663-4842 x3 or e-mail jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca Emails and messages will be replied to in late August before the start of the school year.

New Daycare Families remember to join @ggdaycare2 on the Remind app to get notices about daycare events. If you are already on the current remind, you will continue to receive the daycare messages.

Special Notes

End of Year Awards

LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD

Izabella David

MATH AWARD

Esther Edoukoi

FRENCH AWARD

Keegan Stein

ART AWARD

Mikaël Jolin

Allya Chabot-Massé

Anahi Velasquez

DRAMA AWARD

Cassandra McGrath

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AWARD

Emily Lies

OVERALL ACADEMIC AWARD

Myra Imtiaz

WQSB CITIZENSHIP AWARD

Carson Nielsen

PERSEVERANCE AND DETERMINATION AWARD

Armita Haselikarim

Katenin Jackson-Lemarquand

SCHOOL SPIRIT AWARD

Annabelle Trahan

Navarra Kearney

MONTHLY ASSEMBLIES

We are so proud of all the students at Greater Gatineau School for all their work this year.

Each month it was difficult for the teachers to choose only a few students to honour with the awards. Please continue to strive for excellence during the summer and try to follow our school virtues while at camp or visiting with friends and family.

Kindness, responsibility, inclusion, perseverance, co-operation, caring, trustworthiness, respect, fairness and citizenship are the virtues we look for.

Treat people how you want to be treated and you are off to a great start.

READING OVER THE SUMMER

Research has shown that the average student will lose some of their reading skills over the summer months.

It is important that you encourage your child to continue to read while on summer holidays.

Your child’s IXL math accounts and electronic reading platforms (Raz-Kids etc.) will be available to them during the summer.

SUMMER READING CHALLENGES

WQSB has a subscription to TumbleBookLibrary and to TeenBookCloud and your family can access it from home! It’s unlimited, and it’s FREE for you to use! You can do the Elementary Summer Challenge or the Elementary Summer Bingo using the subscription or books from home or the library.

Sora is also running a summer reading program for all ages. From now until August 26, 2024, the Sora Sweet Reads program will offer a collection of grade-appropriate ebook and audiobook titles that will be prominently displayed in Sora for quick and easy unlimited access. You can explore the title offerings and learn more about the program here: https://resources.overdrive.com/sora-sweet-reads/.

How does it work? Students can simply log in using their WQSB school email credentials and instantly access our digital library on virtually any device or at https://soraapp.com. For added fun, Sora has created a reading challenge for older children and JR reading challenge for younger children.

TRAVEL GAMES

1) Road Trip Scavenger Hunt

Print out free online hunt sheets or make your own list and look for the objects while on your trip.

2) Bumper Stumpers

Write the letters A to Z on a piece of paper. Keep an eye on the licence plates around you. As you find a licence plate with each letter you can circle it or cross it off the list. You can only use each plate for one letter, so choose wisely. Harder version of the game could be that the letter has to be at the start of the plate number.

3) Alphabet Sign Game

Look for signs that have words that start with each letter of the alphabet in order from A to Z

4) Alphabet start to finish

Pick a topic, like animals. Each person takes a turn to say the name of an animal, the next person has to say an animal that starts with the last letter of the animal before. (Alligator – Rabbit – Turtle – Eagle – etc.) The round ends when someone gets stumped and can’t think of an animal. Pick a new topic and start again.

5) 20 Questions

One player is chosen to be the answerer. That person chooses their object but does not reveal it to the others. All other players are questioners. They each take turns asking a question which can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”. The answerer answers each question in turn. Sample questions could be: “Is it bigger than a breadbox?” or “Is it alive?” Lying is not allowed in the game. If a questioner guesses the correct answer, that questioner wins and becomes the answerer for the next round. If 20 questions are asked without a correct guess, then the answerer has stumped the questioners and gets to be the answerer for another round.

Thanks for taking the time to read our newsletter. We hope you have a fabulous summer! We look forward to the 2024-2025 school year.

Principal's Message

June is a busy month, filled with final evaluations and some wonderful end of year activities. The students have worked hard all year, and deserve to have a number of great activities during the final month: field trips; Peace Day activities; Rainbow Day; Twin Flames Concert; Graduation for Grade 6; and numerous other wonderful activities planned by teachers. Our biggest event, the Family Carnival/BBQ is coming on June 13^th from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m., hosted by the Home and School in conjunction with school staff working at the Carnival. We hope that all of our families can attend!

Throughout the year, we have been able to support some of our families in need with food from our Breakfast Club and Nutrition Grant. As summer approaches, the school will not be able to continue to do this; so we are holding a “Summer Food Drive” to be able to deliver food baskets to these families. Our Food Drive starts on Monday June 3^rd, so we welcome donations starting next Monday. You can send non-perishable items with your child, or drop them off at the office or bring to Jen at Daycare. We will be reaching out to families we assisted in December to determine needs. If you are not contacted in the next week, and would like to receive a food basket; please email me as of June 10^th to be placed on the list: vlink@wqsb.qc.ca.

We are looking forward to seeing parents at the various activities we have planned for the month of June!

RE-REGISTRATION FOR 2024-2025

Thank-you to all families who have re-registered online or by sending your form back to school. If you have not returned your re-registration from for next year, please do so as soon as your can. Even if you are moving on to Hadley or another school outside of WQSB we still need your form returned. If you do not re-register you might run into difficulties with starting school right away or having transportation arranged for next year. If you need a replacement form please contact Amanda at awells@wqsb.qc.ca.

NEW REGISTRATION FOR 2024-2025

If you, or anyone you know has a child turning five before September 30^th, or who is moving into the area please let them know to make arrangements to register by emailing our secretary Amanda at awells@wqsb.qc.ca or calling (819)663-4842 extension 1.

REMIND APP

It is important for all families to sign up for our communication tool.

REMIND APP SIGN-UP

Events at School

GRIZZLY GAMES

We have started a new program for recess activities called Grizzly Games. It offers children items to borrow for use outside during recess. Each grade level has their chance to select the items for outdoor play. Our two notes for students are “We Share” and “We Bring It Back”. This way everyone has a chance to play with the items and we keep our Grizzly Games cupboard stocked with items for fun and exciting activities. If a child comes home with an item labelled “Greater Gatineau” or “Grizzly Games”, please return it to school.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION PLAY AREA AND SCHOOL YARD BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT

The amazing Greater Gatineau staff spent a few hours working on beautifying and re-naturalizing our school yard. We created new flower beds and re-vitalized existing ones with the help of the OseEntreprendre grant that we received. Classes across all grade levels have also been growing seedlings which will add to our plant diversity in the yard as well! These will be planted in the upcoming weeks.

The Gardening Club has been helping to prep garden beds and plant new flowers for pollinators.

Along with new garden beds, we have moved the mud kitchen to a new, more centralized location and added natural elements like rocks and logs, to create a dynamic new outdoor education space.

Keep your eyes peeled for these lovely new changes.

COSMIC ADVENTURE TRIP

On June 3rd, Grade 2 students will be going to Cosmic Adventures. They will crawl, jump, climb, and explore at the indoor playground.

LAFLÈCHE TRIP

The grade 4 classes are excited to venture to Laflèche on June 3rd! We will have the opportunity to do the aerial course as well as a rally through the forest.

Students will enjoy the day outside challenging themselves to do things out of their comfort zone!

UPPER CANADA VILLAGE TRIP

Grade 5 students are excited to go to Upper Canada Village by coach bus! We will be wrapping up our unit on the Loyalists and Pioneer Living by visiting Upper Canada Village on June 3rd.

TWIN FLAMES CONCERT

Twin Flames, a celebrated Canadian folk music duo, mesmerize audiences with their seamless fusion of genres, languages, and instrumental skills, crafting a captivating blend of contemplative Folk and vibrant Rock ‘n’ Roll. Jaaji and Chelsey June Settler, representing diverse Indigenous backgrounds, infuse their heritage into their music by integrating Indigenous and Western instruments, showcasing their authentic passion for song writing and captivating global audiences. On June 4th we have the honour of a performance here at Greater Gatineau!

Kindergarten, Grade 1+2 – 10:30-11:30
Grade 3-6 – 12:35-1:35

GRADE 1 TRIPS – KENAUK INSTITUTE + ADRENALINE PLUS

Grade 1 and 1/2 classes will be going on an adventure out near Montebello to the Kenauk Institute on June 6th. It is a nature reserve that has many lakes and thousands of acres of forest. We will be taking part in outdoor educational activities involving bugs, bones and some nature-inspired crafts! All of these activities will be led by the staff of the research center at Kenauk.

On June 13th they will head to Adrénaline Plus for a day of fun!

RAINBOW DAY

ARC presents Rainbow Day at Greater Gatineau. June 14th wear all the colours of the rainbow or focus on just one colour head to toe to honor Pride Month. The aim is to increase visibility for the LGBTQ+ community and demonstrate support by promoting awareness through education on acceptance and equality.

MONT CASCADES TRIP

On June 17th the Grade 6 classes will go to Mont Cascades for a day of fun at the water park. Their slides are widely recognized as the best in the world for safety, thrills, and fun!

LUNCH PROGRAMS

The last Mazzola meals will be served on Friday, June 14th and our Subway Lunch Program will be ending on Wednesday, June 19th.

Please remember to send a full lunch for your child on the days with no scheduled lunch program.

PEACE LEARNING CIRCLES DAY

On Tuesday, June 18th, we will be hosting a fun-filled “Peace Day” during the morning. Students will be placed in groups and will participate in some exciting games and challenges! Students will be treated to a popsicle or freezie during the day. More information to follow.

GRADUATION

The time is fast approaching for our Grade 6 students to be graduating from Greater Gatineau School! The ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 20th, at 10:30 AM. Friday, June 21st at 10:00 AM.

After the ceremony, students will have time to take pictures at a ‘photo booth’ and enjoy a walking nacho lunch with music and fun!

STUDENT VOLUNTEERS

A special thank you also goes out to our many student volunteers who go above and beyond every day to support our breakfast program, assemblies, and student committees.

MONTHLY ASSEMBLY

Our next assembly will be on Wednesday, June 19th, where we will celebrate the students who have shown the chosen virtue throughout the month.

8:55 – Grade 3 + 4
10:05 – Grade 5 + 6
10:55 – Kindergarten, Grade 1 + 2

Please remember to wear your GG shirt for all of our monthly assemblies. This creates a sense of community at school.

June is CITIZENSHIP month. We hope to see students showing us what great community members they are both at school and out in the larger community.

Represent Greater Gatineau Grizzlies wherever you go!

PEACE LEARNING CIRCLES AT HOME

CREATIVE STORYTELLING

Start by sitting in a circle around the dinner table or living room. The set-up is “we are going to make up a group story”. The leader starts the story with a setting and characters.

Example “Once there was a family who were going on vacation. They couldn’t decide where to go so they…”

Add to the story one or two sentences at a time. Each person takes a turn around the circle to add to the story. Encourage everyone to listen to each other and be creative when it is their turn to add to the story. You can decide to make it a funny story or a serious story in advance. Or you can let it take you where it wants as you go.

It can be an oral story that gets told once, or you can write it down and illustrate it afterwards so you can read it again.

Home & School

Thank you to everyone who supported the Greater Gatineau Home and School Auction and the Maple Fundraiser. Both fundraisers were very successful!

Carnival 2024 – Scheduled for Thursday, June 13th. We hope to see all Greater Gatineau Families at the Carnival.

On May 13th we held our Annual General Meeting (AGM). Elections were held to determine the executive council for the 2024-2025 school year.

Vice President – Johanna McGrath
Secretary – Diane Mineault

Heather Phillips (President) and Catherine Racette (Treasurer) will continue on their 2 year term in their positions.

We need new members to continue to operate an effective Home and School group. Please consider joining for the 2024-2025 school year. If you would like to join us, please send us an email. We meet monthly for 1 hour. Time commitment varies depending on the events and fundraisers we run. You can decide how much time your schedule allows you to commit.

Our last meeting of the year will be on June 17th at 6:00pm. Please email us if you would like to attend.

Daycare

All students have been registered with the same expected attendance for next year. If your needs have changed please let us know. The buses are assigned based on the daycare registration. A student who is registered for 5 days/week for after school daycare the bus will not be assigned in the afternoon. If you also indicated morning daycare attendance there will be no morning bus assigned either.

Should you have any questions about our program or to register for daycare next year please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer by phone at (819) 663-4842 ext. 3 or e-mail jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca

New Parents : Remember to join @ggdaycare2 on the Remind app to get notices about daycare events.

Special Notes

Dear Greater Gatineau Community,

We are asking today that you take a moment to think of families in our area that are currently experiencing food insecurities. We have an amazing community here at Greater Gatineau and around the holidays we show that kindness and support.

We are looking to create new initiatives to best support our Greater Gatineau Community.

Our new Prepare For Summer Food Drive will start at the beginning of June and run until June 19th. During this time, we are asking for donations of non-perishable food items to help some of our school families throughout the summer months.

The last week of school, we will gladly accept donations of fresh items to be distributed at that time.

Thank you,

Greater Gatineau Grizzlies

JUMP ROPE FOR HEART

Thank-you to everyone who joined the fundraising efforts for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. We have raised money to help with research and support for people with heart related problems.

We had over 170 students who spent time skipping during their lunch recesses during the month of May. We learned some tricks and practiced our skipping skills on both the long and short ropes.

TERRY FOX FUNDRAISING FOR 2023

We are excited to announce that Greater Gatineau has made the “Top 50 Fundraising Schools in Quebec” list for Terry Fox. We were number 32 in the province raising $6427.95!

We are incredibly proud of all of our students and for our school community, parents, friends and family members coming together for a great cause. Congratulations Greater Gatineau!

Thanks to our incredible fundraising efforts, the Terry Fox Foundation is offering every student a free Terry Fox vintage t-shirt!

POLICE OPEN HOUSE

On Saturday, June 8th from 10:00-3:00 at the Police Headquarters – 590 Boul. Gréber there will be an Open House event.

Fun for the whole family including;

Display of SPVG vehicles and equipment, including some from the Intervention Group;
Garage 529 booth (bicycle theft prevention);
Drone flight demonstration;
Impaired driving awareness activity;
Guided tour of the cellblock;
Discover police professions – SPVG specialized teams – 911 Emergency Centre
BBQ to support La Maison d’Hébergement pour Elles des Deux Vallées

And much more! See flyer for details.

ARE YOU MOVING?

As we prepare for next year, it is very important that you notify the school if you are moving. Please call the school at 819-663-4842 and speak to Amanda at extension 1, with your change of address so we can update our files for transportation.

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY

National Indigenous Peoples Day is a day recognizing and celebrating the cultures and contributions of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Indigenous peoples of Canada.

The day was first celebrated as National Aboriginal Day in 1996, after it was proclaimed that year by the Governor General of Canada to be celebrated annually on June 21st. This date was chosen for many reasons, including its cultural significance as the Summer solstice, and the fact that it is a day on which many Indigenous peoples and communities traditionally celebrate their heritage. It was renamed National Indigenous Peoples Day in 2017.

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Cultural Traditions/Observances/Holidays

June is Pride Month AND National Indigenous History Month

National Indigenous History Month gives us an opportunity to learn about the distinct cultures, traditions, and journeys of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. It’s a time to honour the stories, achievements, and resilience of Indigenous Peoples, who have lived on this land since time immemorial.

Pride Month is dedicated to celebrating and commemorating the pride of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. The month promotes 2SLGBTQ+ visibility, raise awareness about rights issues, and advocates for equality and acceptance.

National Best Friends Day – June 8th

National Best Friends Day is a day to acknowledge the role your best friends play in your life. It is a day when we let our “besties” know that we care about them and that we appreciate their friendship. Best Friends Day is also a day to assess the true value of friendship.

Rainbow Day – June 14

Greater Gatineau will celebrate Rainbow Day to honor Pride Month, aiming to increase visibility for the LGBTQ+ community and demonstrate support by promoting awareness through education on acceptance and equality. We encourage everyone to dress up in colourful hues of the rainbow to show your support.

Father’s Day – June 16th

Father’s Day is a holiday honoring one’s father, or relevant father figure, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.

Eid al-Adha Begins – June 16th

Eid al-Adha is a time for prayer, visiting with friends and family, and giving gifts in the Muslim faith. Some families also sacrifice an animal in remembrance of Ibrahim’s sacrifice.

The International Day for Countering Hate Speech – June 18th

A day designated by United Nations to address the dangers of hate speech, emphasizes global unity in combating its harms and promoting peace. It reminds us that we all need to work together to stop hate and make a world where everyone feels included and understood.

World Refugee Day – June 20th

A day designated by the United Nations to raise awareness about the situation of refugees worldwide and to honor the courage, strength, and resilience of refugees. The day also aims to mobilize support for refugees and advocate for their rights and well-being.

First Day of Summer (Summer Solstice) – June 21st

The June solstice marks the astronomical first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

National Indigenous Peoples Day – June 21st

National Indigenous Peoples Day is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

St-Jean Baptiste Day – June 24th

Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day and the National Day of Quebec, Francophones across the country show their pride by celebrating their language and their traditions.

Principal's Message

May and June are busy months with students completing evaluations for the final report card in June. Please pay close attention to your child’s homework and assignments, as the final term of the year is very important. May and June are also month’s with various activities for the students, so please pay close attention to upcoming dates on the calendar.

We would like all students to bring a spoon to school each day. We have many items in our Breakfast Basket that require a spoon. If your child requires other cutlery for the meal they brought, or for Mazzola meals, please send this in your child’s lunch as well. We would also like for every student to continue to bring a refillable water bottle each day.

The teachers attended an anti-racism workshop called “A is for Allyship”. They will use the strategies learned in the school and their classrooms.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

If you have not registered for kindergarten next year, or if you know anyone who has a child turning five before September 30^th please make arrangements to register by emailing our secretary Amanda at awells@wqsb.qc.ca or calling (819)663-4842 extension 1.

KINDERGARTEN OPEN HOUSE

The Kindergarten Open House will take place in the morning on Friday, May 3 from 8:45-11:00 for the new kindergarten students for the 2024-2025 school year.

Events at School

GRADE SIX HADLEY VISIT

On May 1st the grade six students will have a visit to Hadley to prepare for next year. They will spend the morning there learning about the routines at JR High.

READING WEEK

Reading Week is May 6-10

May 6- Read with a stuffed animal
May 7- Read to a friend
May 8- Book recommendation cover
May 9- Bring your favorite book to share
May 10- Dress up as your favorite book character

Classes will participate in D.E.A.R. Drop Everything and Read for 20 minutes during a different period each day.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Our school is excited to welcome author Kevin Sylvester who will visit our school during “I Love to Read Week” this May. Kevin will be doing an in-person presentation to all students in 10 small group workshops throughout the week. His workshop will aim to inspire students… giving them the confidence to tap into their own creativity. The students will get the an hour of high-energy stories, PLUS writing and cartooning tips.

PROJECT ACTIVE

Project Active is an initiative hosted by Eardley Elementary that allows students who may not be able to fully participate in some school activities due to their specific needs to have a full day of active fun. It is an inclusive day specifically designed with exceptionalities in mind.

We have 12 students who have been invited to attend this exciting event on May 13th!

TRACK & FIELD AT GREATER GATINEAU

Children will participate in Track & Field events throughout the day.

Kindergarten to Grade 3 – May 23
Grade 3-6 – May 24

DENTAL HYGIENIST

The dental hygienist will be at school from May 27th to 31st to see some students for dental sealants and preventive follow-ups

PERFORMING ARTS SHOW: THE GREATEST SHOW!

We are happy to announce that our school will be hosting its annual Greater Gatineau Performing Arts Show on Tuesday, May 28^th. There will be two performances during the school day. Parents of those participating will be welcome to join. We can’t wait to see all of the wonderful hidden talents at our school!

SAUNDERS FARM TRIP

The grade 3 students will be visiting Saunders Farm on May 31st for their end of school year trip. The day will be spent enjoying the outdoor facility and activities. It will be a very fun and exciting time for the students.

ADRENALINE PLUS TRIP

Our kindergarten students will be heading to Adrenaline+ on May 31st. They will be exploring the tubes and slides, as well as many fun activities, including the Ball-O-City and BattleField. We wish them a wonderful time!

MINISTRY EXAMS

During the month of May and June the students in Grade 6 will take part in Ministry Exams for language arts and math.

EYE EXAMS FOR KINDERGARTEN

Our kindergarten students will be offered free eye tests, done by optometrists, to screen for vision problems.

In young children, 80 percent of learning happens visually; it is therefore important to uncover any vision problems, which can often go unnoticed.

MONTHLY ASSEMBLY

Our next assembly will be on Wednesday, May 29th, where we will celebrate the students who have shown the chosen virtue throughout the month.

Please remember to wear your GG shirt for all of our monthly assemblies. This creates a sense of community at school.

Kindergarten, Grade 1+2 at 8:55
Grade 3+4 at 10:05
Grade 5+6 at 10:55

May is SPORTSMANSHIP/ FAIRNESS month. We hope to see students showing us fairness while playing with others and good sportsmanship whether they win or lose.

PEACE LEARNING CIRCLES AT HOME

SHAPING UP WITH “BLOCKS”

You will need two sets of the same items, can be done with blocks, Lego, or even just a group of household items. The first person (the director) sets up their objects in some sort of shape or design on the table or floor out of sight of the second person. Then the object is to explain to the second person (the listener) how to place the items so they match the first design. Switch roles and try the activity again.

Questions to ask after the activity has been completed:

What did you learn giving directions to others?
Why is this a difficult or easy activity?
Why is listening and following instructions important?
How did the director and listener work together?
How can they improve working together?
How did you feel having to follow directions without being able to see the pattern?

Home & School

Thank you to everyone who supported our Maple Fundraiser, it was a great success!

We have some exciting confirmed events coming up.

Greater Gatineau Greatest Auction

Runs from April 28th until May 12th. All funds raised will help support the Carnival costs. Happy Bidding!

For detail, please visit our Facebook page or the Auction Flyer sent home with your child

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

We will be hosting our AGM on Monday, May 13 at 6:00pm. This year’s election we will vote for the below positions:

- Vice President
- Secretary
- Communications Chair

If you would like to join next year’s team or hear what we did this year, join us for the AGM.

End of Year Carnival – Thursday, June 13, 3:30 pm – 6:30pm in the school yard.

The H&S meeting will be held virtually directly following the AGM on Monday, May 13th at 6:30pm. Please send us an email if you would like to attend.

Daycare

We have our final PD day this month. Friday, May 17th we will stay at school to celebrate Daycare Week with some activities planned by the educators. The deadline to register for the day is on Friday, May 10th.

Please sign up for @ggdaycare2 on the Remind app to get the notifications regarding PD days.

Should you have any questions about our program or to register for the PD days please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer by phone at (819) 663-4842 x3 or e-mail jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca.

All current students have been re-registered with the same reservation unless you advise a change.

To reserve a daycare spot for next year please complete the Daycare Registration Form and return it to school.

Special Notes

DAYCARE WEEK

May 13^th to 17^th is Quebec School Daycare Week. This week is to recognize the importance of the complementary role of school daycares in the school team.

Wednesday May 15^th is the “Journee de reconnaissance du personnel en garde scolaire” or “Recognition Day for School Daycare Staff”.

Feel free to send a message of encouragement to your child’s educator.

JUMP ROPE FOR HEART

Greater Gatineau will once again participate in Jump Rope for Heart. During the month of May students will have access to skipping ropes during recess and lunch time. This promotes physical activity and a healthy heart.

Join the fundraising efforts here at Jump Rope for Heart, register your child or click “Register” and choose Greater Gatineau. There are also some great challenges to take part in that promote healthy eating, physical activity, and other healthy habits.

More information available here in the Jump Rope for Heart Letter.

ARE YOU MOVING?

WORKSHOP WITH DEBORAH MACNAMARA

‘Who’s in charge? Why adults need to lead.’

When: Thursday, June 6, 2024
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Where: South Hull Elementary School

Hosted by: PETES, South Hull, Greater Gatineau, Chelsea, Lord Aylmer, Eardley, and Wakefield

A growing number of children are presenting as demanding, prescriptive, bossy, and controlling. A disturbing number of these alpha children are turning into bullies as well. Alpha children tend to have difficulties letting themselves be parented or taught. This is making the child-adult dance much more difficult than it used to be or needs to be, despite the plethora of advice-given and strategies available today. The surprising roots of the alpha complex will be examined, opening the doors for lasting change in the family, classroom, and society.

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Land acknowledgement

Cultural Traditions/Observances/Holidays

May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada, a time to reflect on and recognize the many contributions that people of Asian origin have made and continue to make to Canada.

Star Wars Day – May 4th

May the fourth be with you.

National MMIWG2S Awareness Day (Red Dress Day) – May 5th

A day to raise awareness about Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit individuals who have gone missing or been murdered in Canada, aiming to stop the violence they face, and support affected families and communities. It’s a day to remember those lost and work toward justice and healing.

Cinco de Mayo – May 5th

A holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War in 1862. The day is also known as Battle of Puebla Day.

OI Day – May 6th

Every year on 6th May, people come together and celebrate Wishbone Day – an international awareness-raising day for Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as Brittle Bone Disease.

Bear Witness Day – May 10th

This is a day observed in Canada to raise awareness about the injustices faced by Indigenous children in the child welfare system. It serves as a call to action to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in foster care and to promote reconciliation and support for Indigenous communities.

Mother’s Day – May 12th

The Canadian incarnation of Mother’s Day was created by a teacher, Anna Jarvis in 1908.

International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia – May 17th

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia was created in 2004 to draw attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex people, and all of those with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics.

African Liberation Day – May 25th

African Liberation Day celebrates the 32 African nations that signed the Charter of the Organization of African Unity, which evolved into the African Union.

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers – May 29th

This is the date when in 1948 the first UN peacekeeping mission named the “United Nations Truce Supervision Organization”, or UNTSO.

Principal's Message

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of the parents/grandparents who take time out of their busy lives to volunteer at the school. It is truly appreciated by students and staff alike and we are very grateful.

Field trips will be taking place in these last few months of school. If you are interested in volunteering, you will need a Security Background Check (SBC), which can take time to process. The SBC is paid by the School Board. If you would like an application, please email Amanda at awells@wqsb.qc.ca .

Reminder if you haven’t paid your school fees, you must do so right away. The statements can be viewed on the parent portal, and payment can be made with your online banking. If you need assistance, please contact our finance secretary, Naomie at nceraqui@wqsb.qc.ca.

We are eagerly awaiting the warm temperatures of Spring as we move forward in our final term of the school year.

Wishing everyone a wonderful spring season!

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

If you have not registered for kindergarten next year, or if you know anyone who has a child turning five before September 30^th please make arrangements to register by emailing Amanda at awells@wqsb.qc.ca or calling (819)663-4842 extension 1.

KINDERGARTEN OPEN HOUSE

We will welcome our new Kindergarten students to our school on May 3rd for our Kindergarten Open House.

Events at School

MUSEUM OF HISTORY TRIP

Grade 2 students will be going to the Museum of History on April 4th. The cost of the trip will be covered by a culture grant from the Ministry.

MAMMAL STUDY -Make up dates

Our outdoor education consultant, Alan Earwaker, will be leading Mammal Study and Ecology Games with the students from the grade 3 classes who did not get a chance to participate earlier.

April 4 – DV & O’Brien
April 5 – Courtney

ROCKS & RINGS

April 9th, 11th, and 12th Greater Gatineau welcomes Rock & Rings. In partnership with Curling Canada, the Egg Farmers Rocks & Rings program is designed to introduce the Olympic sport of curling to elementary school children by bringing curling equipment for interactive physical education games right in the school gym. Rocks & Rings brings the curling rink to the school using unique indoor floor curling equipment to provide a true curling experience without requiring ice! Each class will have a turn to try out their curling skills.

Gym will be taking place outside on these days, so make sure you send your child dressed for the weather if they have gym.

DART PRESENTATION

The WQSB Drug and Alcohol Technician, Erica Tomkinson will be meeting with our Grade 6 students on April 15th to give a presentation on drug and alcohol awareness and prevention. Erica works at Hadley and will be a resource for the students next year.

BAND FROM HADLEY/PHILEMON

The Hadley/Philemon Band are on tour again! They will come to our school on April 16th at 10:15 to perform for us. Unfortunately, parents are unable to attend due to limited space.

“A IS FOR ALLYSHIP” PRESENTATION

Grade 5 and 6 classes will participate in the presentation on April 24th. “A is for Allyship” is a presentation delving into the essence of genuine allyship. By understanding what it means to be an ally, exploring the importance of being an ally and examining how to support and stand up for other communities.

MONTREAL TRIP

The grade six students will be visiting Montreal for an overnight trip from April 25th to 26th. They will spend time at the Montreal Science Centre, have a scavenger hunt in Old Montreal, then spend the night in St. Jerome. There is a pool with a waterslide at the hotel. There will be a subway lunch on the first day, dinner at Saveurs Des Continents, and breakfast at the hotel. The trip is mainly covered by Ministry Grants, donations of $5-$10 from the grade 6 students will be accepted to help cover the costs.

This trip is a great educational experience as well as an opportunity to be away from home with friends, see new things, and celebrate nearing the end of Grade 6 together!

POPCORN FRIDAYS

The Grade 6 students will be selling popcorn on Fridays (and one Thursday) from April 12 to May 3rd! The cost is $10/4weeks. All funds raised will go towards the Grade 6 graduation. Popcorn will be delivered before lunch. Please return the form and money to the school no later than April 5th , 2024. Thank you for your support!

MAZZOLA HOT MEAL PROGRAM

We will continue to offer our hot meal program on Mondays and Fridays. New menu for April and May. Click the Mazzola link to order.

SUBWAY LUNCH PROGRAM

The Subway Lunch Program is running from April 3rd to May 15th.

MONTHLY ASSEMBLY

Our next assembly will be on Monday, April 29^th, where we will celebrate the students who have shown the chosen virtue throughout the month.

Please remember to wear your GG shirt for all of our monthly assemblies. This creates a sense of community at school.

10:05 – Kindergarten and Grade 1-2

10:55 – Grade 3-4

12:35 – Grade 5-6

April is RESPECT month. We hope to see students demonstrating respect throughout the month. You can show this by using the Peace Agreements each day. They are; mutual respect, attentive listening, appreciations, and participation.

PEACE LEARNING CIRCLES AT HOME

CHAIN REACTION

This activity can be done with as few as two people and as many as you want.

Sit in a circle, the first person asks the second person a question. The second person answers that question and then asks the next person a different question. You continue until everyone has had a chance to ask and answer a question, or until you run out of questions.

This can be used to study for a test by asking specific questions about the subject. It can also be used as a “get to know you” activity with new friends and family. It also works as a good dinner time conversation starter and so that everyone at the table gets a turn to talk.

You can be as creative as you like with the questions. Have fun!

Home & School

We have some exciting confirmed events and fundraisers coming up.

Events this month

Maple Fundraiser: March 22nd to April 12 11:59pm – Product Pick-up April 30th 4:30pm to 7:30 pm

Maple catalog of 100% maple products
All orders must be submitted through our online store
https://north-hatley-campagne-de-financement.myshopify.com
PASSWORD: Gatineau2024

Family Yoga Night with Samantha – April 5^th , 6pm-7pm

For detail, please visit our Facebook page or the flyer sent home with your child

April Movie Night– April 26^th featuring Trolls: Band Together

Upcoming Events

Greater Gatineau Greatest Auction – Planned for early May

We are still accepting donations for our auction. If you or someone you know owns a small business, please consider donating. We are looking for gift certificates, services, merchandise or gift baskets. Please contact us via email for more information.

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

We will be hosting our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday, May 13 at 6:00pm. This year’s election we will vote for the below positions:

- Vice President
- Secretary
- Communications Chair

If you want to join next year’s team or hear what we did this year, join us for the AGM.

End of Year Carnival – Planned for early June

We are always looking for new members to join us or ideas for upcoming events, please contact us via email gghomeandschool@gmail.com or through our Facebook page.

We will continue to post on our Facebook page, if you haven’t done so already please follow us to stay up to date on upcoming events facebook.com/GreaterGatineau.

Next H&S meeting Monday April 15, 6:00pm virtually via Teams. Please contact via email if you would like to join this meeting.

Daycare

We have two PD days this month. Monday, April 8th is the Solar Eclipse, we will not be offering a program on this day. Friday, April 19th the daycare is open for the PD Day. Registration is open to all Greater Gatineau students. The Deadline to register is April 12th. Please sign up for @ggdaycare2 on the Remind app to get the notifications regarding PD days.

Should you have any questions about our program or to register for the PD days please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer by phone at (819) 663-4842 x3 or e-mail jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca

DAYCARE FOR 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR

All current daycare students, both regular and sporadic, will have the same reservation made for next year. If you are registered for 5 days this year, then you will be registered for 5 days next year. If you would like to make changes to your daycare service or remove your child from daycare please advise Jennifer by email.

If you would like to add your child to the daycare next year please fill out a Daycare Registration Form and return it to school.

Special Notes

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK -April 14th to 20th

We would like to say thank-you to all the people who take the time to volunteer at and for our school. Whether in the classroom, supporting students, helping with our food programs, attending trips and other school activities, serving on the Governing Board or working with Home & School, it wouldn’t be the same without you. Your commitment is much appreciated!

We have more opportunities to volunteer in the future with upcoming trips and other activities. Please ensure you contact Amanda at awells@wqsb.qc.ca to complete a Security Background Check in order to be eligible to volunteer.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY – April 24th

We extend a huge thank-you to Amanda for all her hard work in the office. She keeps things moving smoothly in the school, makes sure all the students are accounted for each day, supports the principal, vice principal, teachers and other staff, takes care of sick and injured children, communicates with parents, and makes sure all the students get where they need to be at the end of the day; just to name a few of her daily tasks. Thanks also to Naomie, our financial secretary at the school. She helps parents with school fees and supports staff by placing orders and paying the bills. She is also responsible for the report cards and information associated with the Mosaïk Portal. Special mention also goes to Melissa who works a few hours a week in the office and covers the office duties when others are away.

Thank-you for your dedication to our school community!

EARTH DAY

Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22^nd. It is one of the largest events in the world. We would encourage parents to do something with their children to show them how to respect and protect our environment. It could be something as simple as going outside and picking up garbage on your sidewalks or in your yard.

Western Quebec School Board Earth Month Resources

AUTISM ACCEPTANCE AND APPRECIATION DAY

World Autism Acceptance and Appreciation Day is April 2nd. Every year, autism organizations around the world celebrate the day with unique acceptance and appreciation events. How will you celebrate? Students are invited to wear RED clothing to show their support.

See ASD Vocabulary Shift for more information.

ASSISTANCE WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR 2024-2025

Maman Dion Foundation provides gift cards to low income families for the purchases of school materials and clothing. You can submit request for assistance for the 2024-2025 school year.

See their Memo for details and for more information, go to their website; www.fondationmamandion.org or call 1-866-430-3466.

SOLAR ECLIPSE

On April 8th, 2024, we will witness a once-in-a-lifetime event: a total solar eclipse. The 2024 eclipse will be visible from Mexico, the United States, and Canada. It will be visible in our area between 2:10 PM and 4:35 PM

School and Daycare will be closed on this day to ensure the safety of all staff and students. Letter to Parents – Solar Eclipse

RAMQ PROGRAM FOR GLASSES AND CONTACTS

Does your child wear glasses or contacts? You can get $300 from RAMQ towards the purchase of glasses or contacts for children under 18 years old.

See the Memo or go to the Website for details.

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Land acknowledgement

Cultural Traditions/Observances/Holidays

Easter Sunday – March 31st

Easter is a Christian festival and cultural holiday.

April Fools Day – April 1st

April Fools’ Day or All Fools’ Day is an annual custom on April 1st consisting of practical jokes and hoaxes. Jokesters often expose their actions by shouting “April Fools!” at the recipient.

International Children’s Book Day – April 2nd

International Children’s Book Day is celebrated to inspire a love of reading.

Ramadan Ends – April 9th

The holy month of Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar. It is a month of fasting, worship, service, communal gathering, and spiritual development.

Eid al-Fitr – April 9th

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, and is celebrated during the first three days of Shawwāl, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.

National Siblings Day – April 10th

This is a day to celebrate brothers and sisters and family relations.

Passover – April 20th to 30th

The Jewish holiday of Passover (in Hebrew, Pesach) commemorates the exodus from slavery in Egypt.

Principal's Message

Report cards were posted on February 28th on the portal. We will be having parent-teacher interviews on March 13th, from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Teachers do not need to see all parents at this time, but they will reach out to you if an interview is requested. Alternatively, if you would like an interview you can contact your child’s homeroom or their French teacher to set up a time.

We are pleased to announce that Mr. Fleming has a new baby girl! He will be on paternity leave after March Break, and will be returning on April 12th. Mrs. Renai Moleman will be stepping in as Vice-Principal during his absence, and we are happy to have her fill this role.

Please take the time to review our newsletter to see all of the wonderful events taking place this month. A big appreciation goes out to staff members and to Home and School parents for organizing events for our school. Have a wonderful month everyone!

TIME CHANGE

Daylight Savings Time starts on Sunday, March 10^th at 2:00 a.m. So please remember to turn your clocks ahead one hour.

Events at School

BASKETBALL

Ms. Given and M. Lemaire are proud and excited to be coaching the basketball teams this year. They have been practicing together, learning new skills, improving their game, and learning the importance of good sportsmanship.

We are grateful to have this group of student athletes representing GGS at the tournament on Friday, March 1st at Hadley/Philemon!

MARCH BREAK

This year our March break is from Monday, March 4thto Friday, March 8th. School and Daycare are closed.

We hope everyone has a fabulous week.

DENTAL HYGIENIST

The dental hygienist will be at school to do screenings for grade 2 students on March 12th.

REPORT CARDS & PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Report Cards are available on the parent portal. Parent/ Teacher interviews will be held on Wednesday, March 13th from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Please note that teachers will contact parents if an interview is requested. If you are not contacted by the teacher, and you would like to have an interview; please contact the teacher you would like to meet.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION WITH MR. EARWAKER

Our Grade 6 students, along with their teachers and Mr. Alan Earwaker, will take a day trip to the Outdoor Education Center on Lake McGlashan.

Through different activities during the day, students will develop their environmental awareness along with cooperation and social / teamwork skills, with a chance to increase confidence and self-esteem. Activities may include team-building challenges, ecology games, predator/ prey game, hiking, survival shelter building, and a camp fire! The weather conditions will determine the specific learning activities. Most of all, it is an experience the students will never forget!

March 13 – Keck
March 14 – Campbell
March 15 – Birch

GREATER GATINEAU PRESENTS “JUDY MOODY”

Grade 3-6 students have been working very hard since October on the school play! This year the drama students will be presenting “Judy Moody and Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt” by Alison Gregory, based on the book series by Megan Mcdonald. This is a funny play starring Judy Moody who is played by Myra in grade 6. There will be two performances on Tuesday, March 19th during the day so that all the students can enjoy the production.

DESTINATION IMAGINATION

On March 22nd Mr. Birch and Mr. McClelland are taking ten grade 6 students to D’arcy McGee High School for Destination Imagination 2024. The students have been preparing since October and will be presenting a short play, as well as competing in short team challenges that test their teamwork and creativity.

GRAD PHOTOS

Grade 6 students get your best smile ready for March 25th for grad photo day.

HADLEY INFORMATION NIGHT

Hadley’s grade 7 information evening will be held on March 28^th. They welcome parents of grade 6 students interested in the grade 7 Enriched French program at 5:30 and parents of grade 6 students in all other grade 7 programs at 6:30. It will be held in the auditorium at Hadley, 80 Rue Daniel-Johnson.

Hadley Website + Grade 7 Information

MONTHLY ASSEMBLY

Our next assembly will be on Tuesday, March 26^th, where we will celebrate the students who have shown the chosen virtue throughout the month.

Please remember to wear your GG shirt for all of our monthly assemblies. This creates a sense of community at school.

Grade 3+4 at 8:55
Grade 5+6 at 10:05
Kindergarten, Grade 1+2 at 10:55

March is TRUSTWORTHINESS Month. We hope to see students showing us how trustworthy they are. You can show this by doing what you say you are going to do, being responsible, and being reliable.

PEACE LEARNING CIRCLES AT HOME

TRUST WALK

This activity is done in pairs and you take turn being blindfolded and being a leader. One person volunteers to be led with their eyes closed or blindfolded. The other member of the pair leads the person for five minutes, taking very good care of the blind partner. After five minutes, switch roles.

TRUST CIRCLE

Make a circle with your family and friends. Have one person stand in the middle with their eyes closed and feet planted firmly. Have the rest of the people gently push on the shoulders of the person in the middle, making sure they do not fall. The group supports the person as they rotate.

Home & School

We have some exciting events and fundraisers coming up, possibly a ‘sweet’ one, stay tuned for more details.

Planned Events

Movie Night – March 15th featuring the movie “Wish”

Family Yoga Night – Planned for April

Greater Gatineau Greatest Auction – Planned for early May

End of Year Carnival – Planned for early June

We are looking for donations for our auction. If you or someone you know owns a small business, please consider donating. We are looking for gift certificates, services, merchandise or gift baskets. Please contact us via email for more information.

We will be hosting our Annual General Meeting on Monday, May 13 at 6pm. This year’s election we will vote for the below positions:

Vice President
Secretary
Communications Chair

If you want to join next year’s team or hear what we did this year, join us for the AGM.

We are always looking for new members to join us or ideas for upcoming events, please contact us via email gghomeandschool@gmail.com or through our Facebook page.

We will continue to post on our Facebook page, if you haven’t done so already please follow us to stay up to date on upcoming events facebook.com/GreaterGatineau.

The next Home & School meeting will be on Monday, March 18th at 6:00pm. We hold our meetings through Microsoft Teams. Please reach out to us via email if you would like to attend.

H&S would like to wish all Greater Gatineau families a safe, relaxing, March break.

Daycare

Tax slips are available on the parent portal this year. They were posted on February 22nd. Please let us know if you have any trouble accessing your slip.

Please sign up for @ggdaycare2 on the Remind app to get the notifications regarding PD days as there are registration deadlines for each PD day.

Should you have any questions about our program or to register for the PD days please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer by phone at (819) 663-4842 ext. 3 or e-mail jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca

Special Notes

LOST AND FOUND

We have many items in our lost and found. Please label your child’s items with their name so they can be returned to the right child if they are ever misplaced.

We hope to reunite some children with their items.

PHONE NUMBERS & HEALTH INFORMATION

We ask all parents to please make sure that they keep the office advised of any changes in their phone numbers.

It is extremely important that our files are kept up-to-date should an emergency arise.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

It is very important to register right away in order for the school to plan for next year, as it takes a few weeks to obtain a certificate of eligibility from the Quebec government.

EARTH HOUR

Please join millions of people around the world on Saturday, March 23rd, at 8:30 p.m. and turn off your lights for one hour in support of action on climate change.

NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH

March is National Nutrition Month and a great time to think about the importance of healthy eating.

Healthy eating means eating a variety of foods from 4 groups to feel good and maintain your health.

Follow these steps to help you eat healthy:

Eat the right types of food by following Canada’s Food Guide.
Choose a variety of foods from each of the 4 food groups.
Eat the recommended amount of food for your age, gender, and activity level.
Read food labels to compare and choose healthier foods when shopping. The Nutrition Facts table and the Percent Daily Value can help you make better choices.
Limit foods and drinks that are high in calories, fat, sugar, and sodium.

For more useful information on food and nutrition, consult: Canada’s Food Guide

WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY

World Down Syndrome Day – annually on March 21^st – is officially ratified by the United Nations. It allows communities around the world to recognize and celebrate contributions from people with Down syndrome. We want to encourage our students to celebrate WDSD on the days surrounding it.

Please wear mismatched socks on March 21st in support of World Down Syndrome Day.

TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY

International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event occurring on March 31^st dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society.

Please wear purple on Thursday, March 28th to show your support.

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Land acknowledgement

Cultural Traditions/Observances/Holidays

World Compliment Day – March 1st

It is global initiative to create the most positive day in the world, World Compliment Day is celebrated every March 1st to spread joy through simple verbal affirmations of appreciation.

World Wildlife Day – March 3rd

It is a United Nations International day to celebrate all the world’s wild animals and plants and the contribution that they make to our lives and the health of the planet.

International Women’s Day – March 8th

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.

Ramadan Begins – March 10th

The holy month of Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar. It is a month of fasting, worship, service, communal gathering, and spiritual development. We will have a seperate area for our students who participate in the fasting to gather during the lunch period.

Pi Day – March 14th

March 14th marks Pi Day, an annual celebration of the mathematical sign pi. Founded in 1988 by physicist Larry Shaw, March 14th was selected because the numerical date (3.14) represents the first three digits of pi, and it also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday. A perfect excuse to eat pie.

St-Patrick’s Day – March 17th

Saint Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick is a cultural and religious celebration held on March 17th.

Vernal Equinox (First Day of Spring) – March 19th

In the Northern Hemisphere the vernal equinox occurs in March, as the Sun crosses the celestial equator going north.

Francophonie Day – March 20th

Francophonie Day is observed by the International Organization of La Francophonie on March 20th every year to celebrate the French language and Francophone culture.

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination- March 21

It is a day designated by the United Nations to raise awareness of the ongoing struggle against racial discrimination. This day aims at fostering understanding, equality, respect, and unity among all racial groups. It also honors the victims of racial discrimination and reaffirms the commitment to building a world free from racism and prejudice.

World Water Day – March 22nd

World Water Day, held on March 22nd every year since 1993, celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2 billion people living without access to safe water.

Purim – March 23rd-24th

Purim is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman.

The International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims– March 24

It serves to honor the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and to promote the importance of truth, justice, and accountability in addressing such atrocities.

Holi – March 25th

Holi is a popular Hindu festival that It celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It is also called the festival of colours, festival of spring, or festival of love. To celebrate, people throw coloured powder or water at each other.

Principal's Message

We have many activities going on this month, so please pay close attention to all of the items in this month’s newsletter. A big appreciation goes out to our staff for providing such great activities and events for students. Teacher/Staff appreciation week is next week; so if you have a word of thanks to give to a staff member, I know it would be very meaningful. A thank-you also goes out to our Home and School Parents, for organizing such wonderful events for our students.

The Ministry has provided schools with funds to help students “catch-up” with their school work. As a school, we have put the funds towards providing an extra teacher in the class for 2 periods/week (grades 1 – 6), to help students who are experiencing some difficulties. This extra support started this week.

Unfortunately, we were unable to reschedule our Lac Beauchamp field trip; as no further dates were available. It is unfortunate when the weather doesn’t cooperate for our Winter Fun Day.

Please sign up for the Western Quebec School board app to get the quickest updates regarding transportation. We try to send our Remind as soon as we can after being notified, but if you have the WQSB app, you will receive the first notification of a late or cancelled bus.

Have a fabulous month everyone!

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

If you know someone who has a child starting kindergarten in the fall (5 years old by September 30^th), please ask them to start the registration process.

It can take several weeks to get your child’s eligibility to attend English school. Contact Amanda Wells at awells@wqsb.qc.ca to get the paperwork.

Then you must go to the Western Quebec School Board on February 7th or 8th to complete the registration process.

Events at School

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Greater Gatineau is gearing up to honor and celebrate Black History Month with a series of engaging initiatives. Throughout February, we will immerse ourselves in the rich history, culture, and contributions of African Canadians, featuring books, short films, and presentations by guest artist Luc Bambara showcasing Burkina Faso’s vibrant culture. The Anti-Racism Committee has curated a virtual library with diverse books, films, and lesson plans, highlighting varied perspectives and celebrating the accomplishments of Black Canadians. Our commitment to empathy, understanding, and unity extends beyond February, creating a lasting impact. Join us in honoring Black History Month at Greater Gatineau!

GRADE 4 VACCINATIONS

On February 1st students in grade 4 will receive one dose of hepatitis A and B vaccine (Twinrix Junior®) and one dose of HPV vaccine (Gardasil 9®).

Nurses from the CLSC will be at the school in the morning to administer the vaccines.

CLOWN WORKSHOP FOR KINDERGARTEN CLASSES

On February 5th the kindergarten classes will be enjoying a French show presented by L’Arsenal called Le “Carnivale des Animaux”. The story will take them on a fabulous musical journey where Octave and Mandoline will guide them through a magical universe where lions, kangaroos, turtles and many more animals come to life through marionettes.

GRADE FIVE MUSEUM TRIP + NAC PERFORMANCE

On February 14th the grade five students will go the the Museum of History and to the NAC for a chance to take a seat inside a fantastic lantern/stage, illuminated by spellbinding video projections and brought to life by the music, singing and dancing of incandescent Japanese-born performer Tsubasa Hori. This trip is funded by grants.

VALENTINE’S DAY

Everyone is invited to wear red or pink on Wednesday, February 14th to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

QUINZEE BUILDING

As part of our outdoor education programming Grade 5 classes will be building snow shelters in a nearby reserve. Students will take a short hike from the school to the reserve.

This is a hands-on study where the students will learn how to build a Quinzee (snow shelter) and other winter skills to use in the outdoors. The outdoor education specialist, Alan Earwaker, will be joining us for these activities.

Students are encouraged to be well prepared for a great day outside by wearing warm layers, snow pants, good gloves, and a warm hat.

Schultz – February 15th
Everson – February 16th
Stone – February 20th

AFRICAN DRUMMING WITH LUC BAMBARA

The Anti-Racism Committee has secured Luc Bambara to host an event with a primary focus on introducing students to traditional dance and the culture of Burkina Faso. Two performances on February 22nd: one for grades K-2 and another for grades 3-6.

GRADE 6 FUNDRAISER

The grade 6 students will be raising funds for end of year events. They will host “Hotdog Thursdays” starting on Thursday February 8th. Grade three to six can order for the first and third Thursday and the kindergarten to grade two can order for week two and four. Order forms will go home soon.

STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK

Monday, February 5th to Friday, February 9th, is Staff Appreciation Week. Students are asked to remember to appreciate their teachers and staff at Greater Gatineau School.

100th DAY OF SCHOOL

On Wednesday, February 28^thwe will be celebrating the 100^th day of school.

Kindergarten and Cycle 1 teachers will be doing activities with their students to mark this day.

SCHOOL FEES

The school fees are available on the portal under the FINANCE tab. Payments can be made online.

See School Fees page for details about cost breakdown and “how-to” sign up with your online banking.

Please contact Naomie at nceraqui@wqsb.qc.ca or (819) 663-4842 x2 with questions, or if you would like to make an appointment to pay in person with cash or interac.

MONTHLY ASSEMBLY

Our next assembly will be on Thursday, February 29th, where we will celebrate the students who have shown the chosen virtue throughout the month.

Please remember to wear your new Grizzlies shirt or any other GG attire for all of our monthly assemblies. This creates a sense of community at school.

Kindergarten + Grade 1-2 at 10:05

Grade 3 + 4 at 10.55

Grade 5 + 6 at 12:35

February is CARING month. We hope to see students making an effort to be caring towards one another.

PEACE LEARNING CIRCLES AT HOME

“Now I Am” is a game to explore our feelings and recognizing those feelings in others.

Whisper a feeling or emotion into a participant’s ear
have them act out that feeling or emotion without using words
other participants try to guess the feeling
talk about the nonverbal cues we can see in others so we know how they are feeling
talk about a time that you experienced that feeling or emotion

Some examples of feelings;

● fear ● nervousness ● frustration ● itchiness ● tired ● stubborn ● surprise ● embarrassed ● love ● anger ● happiness ● hope ● uncomfortable

Home & School

We have some exciting events and fundraisers coming up.

Staff Appreciation Week – February 5-9

The Greater Gatineau staff work really hard to give our children the best possible learning experience. Each day during Staff Appreciation Week, the Greater Gatineau H&S has planned several thank you gifts to show our appreciation. Take some time to thank your children’s teachers and staff for all their hard work.

Movie Night – Friday February 16, 6:30 pm start time, featuring “Teenage Kraken”.

Greater Gatineau Greatest Auction – Planned for early May.

We are looking for donations. If you or someone you know owns a small business, please consider donating. We are looking for gift certificates, services, merchandise or gift baskets. Please contact us via email for more information.

We will continue to post on our Facebook page, if you haven’t done so already please follow us to stay up to date on upcoming events facebook.com/GreaterGatineau.

We are always looking for new members to join us or ideas for upcoming events, please contact us via email gghomeandschool@gmail.com or through our Facebook page.

The next Home & School meeting will be on Monday, February 19th at 6:00pm. We hold our meetings through Microsoft Teams, please reach out to us via email if you would like to attend.

Daycare

We have three PD days in February. Monday, February 12th, Tuesday, February 13th, and Monday, February 19th are open to all Greater Gatineau students who register before the deadline.

February 12 – Activities at school – $14.60
February 13 – Tubing at Domain de l’Ange Gardien – $30.00
February 19 – Activities at school – $14.60

Please sign up for @ggdaycare2 on the Remind app to get the notifications regarding PD days.

Should you have any questions about our program or to register for the PD days please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer by phone at (819) 663-4842 x3 or e-mail jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca

Special Notes

BUS SAFETY CAMPAIGN

The Annual Provincial Transportation Safety Campaign, “M’as-tu vu?” runs from January 29th until February 9th. La Fédération des Transporteurs du Québec has supplied posters for the school. The WQSB transportation department will send emails to the school during the campaign with videos, stories, pictures to colour and activities that relate to Bus Safety. These materials will be used in the classrooms to promote Bus Safety.

“SAFETY ISN’T EXPENSIVE – IT’S PRICELESS”

WINTERLUDE 2024

The annual Winterlude festival is from February 2nd to 19th this year.

Celebrate Canadian winter fun at this epic festival which takes place in the Ottawa-Gatineau region during the first three weekends of February.

During Winterlude, you can marvel at beautiful ice sculptures, skate on the world-famous Rideau Canal Skateway (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and play till you drop in a gigantic snow playground called Snowflake Kingdom.

Many other Winterlude activities—indoors and outdoors—highlight Canada’s cultural and artistic diversity. Urban sites, museums and special events present special seasonal programming as well as opportunities to connect with Indigenous culture. Most festival activities are free!

www.ottawatourism.ca

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

The Kindergarten registration will be held at the Western Quebec School Board on February 7th and 8th this year.

Your child must be turning 5 years old before September 30, 2023 to register and attend Kindergarten.

Please email Amanda at awells@wqsb.qc.ca to request a registration package.

To register you will require

Certificate of eligibility of the child, parent or sibling declared eligible
Child’s long form birth certificate with the names of both parents
Canadian Citizenship for parent who will render the child eligible
Quebec drivers licence, lease/deed and utility bill
Child’s last report card if applicable

If you have a child who will be attending kindergarten next year, or know someone who has a child who will attend, you can prepare yourself in advance.

ENRICHED FRENCH ASSESSMENTS FOR GRADE SIX STUDENTS GOING TO HADLEY NEXT YEAR FOR GRADE SEVEN

Important Dates & Information for Parents/Guardians:

February 1 FORMS sign up for the assessment opens on our website. Signing up in no way guarantees placement in the program
April 30 FORMS sign up for the assessment on our website closes. IEP’s must be forward to Hadley by this date
May 17 Assessment day onsite at Hadley Junior High School. This is a PD day for Hadley but may not be for the elementary schools. There will not be a rewrite date scheduled.
Early July Families informed of decision

!!! NEW !!!

Parents/guardians will see a confirmation message that their submission was successfully completed. They need to save and print this message for their child to bring on May 17. Students without this printout risk being be refused. Only names on the registration list by April 30 will write the assessment.

SPARE CLOTHING NEEDED

Do you have some extra pants that your children have grown out of? We would love to have them here at school as our spare supply can always use a boost.

Often when children get wet outside or from a spill, they do not have a change of clothes here at school. We would like to be able to provide them a change of clothes.

Please consider donating 1 pair of clean and gently used pants to the school. All sizes welcome!

Free Online Tutoring – Learn Quebec

Students are eligible for free online tutoring. You simply need to register and use your child’s WQSB email and password to log in. Please take advantage of this great opportunity if your child is in need of some extra assistance. For more information; please visit: learnquebec.ca/en/home

FREE ACCESS TO EBOOKS AND AUDIOBOOKS FOR QUEBEC RESIDENTS

All Quebec residents are eligible for a free virtual membership to Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BANQ), the provincial library of Quebec. See link BANQ Ebooks and Audiobooks 2023 for details.

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Land acknowledgement

Cultural Traditions/Observances/Holidays

Black History Month – All month long

Black History Month is a time for Canadians to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Black Canadians and their communities who, throughout history, have done so much to make Canada the culturally diverse, compassionate, and prosperous nation it is today.

Groundhog Day – February 2nd

Groundhog Day is celebrated on February 2nd and is a tradition started by the Pennsylvania Dutch that states if a groundhog emerges from hibernation to see its shadow, and retreats, six more weeks of winter are ahead.

World Cancer Day – February 4th

World Cancer Day is an international day to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.

Isra and Mi’raj Begins – February 7th and Ends – February 8th

The Islamic celebration Isra and Mi’raj refers to a miraculous nighttime journey undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad, in two legs.

Lunar New year – February 10th

Lunar New Year signifies the commencement of a new lunar year and is celebrated globally, especially by many countries in Asia.

International Day of Women and Girls in Science – February 11th

This day advocates for gender equality in science, aiming for full participation by women and girls. This global observance highlights the importance of their inclusive engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), recognizing their empowerment as crucial for achieving international goals.

Shrove Tuesday –February 13th

Shrove Tuesday is the traditional Christian feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday – February 14th

Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting that marks the first day of Lent, which is the six weeks of penitence before Easter.

Lent begins – February 14th

The Christian tradition of Lent is a 40 day season of prayer , fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday.

Valentine’s Day – February 14th

Valentine’s day began as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian figures named Saint Valentine and, through later folk traditions, has become a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.

National Flag Day – February 15th

At the stroke of noon on February 15, 1965, Canada’s red and white maple leaf flag was raised for the very first time on Parliament Hill.

Parinirvana Day – February 15th

Parinirvana Day, also known as Nirvana Day, is celebrated annually to commemorate the death of the Buddha when he attained complete nirvana or parinirvana.

International Mother Language Day – February 21st

A day to promote linguistic and cultural diversity globally. This observance emphasizes preserving and protecting languages, fostering awareness of their value in education, cultural expression, and the economy.

Tell a Fairy Tale Day – February 26th

Tell A Fairy Tale Day is a worldwide day about fairy tales and telling them.

Pink Shirt Day – February 28th

Pink Shirt Day began when two students took a stand against homophobic bullying after a new student was harassed for wearing pink. We’ve been celebrating Pink Shirt Day in Aotearoa since 2009 and the campaign grows stronger and larger every year.

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WESTERN QUÉBEC SCHOOL BOARD

December 2024 Newsletter

Principal's Message

Events at School

Home & School

Daycare

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Home & School

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Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Principal's Message

Events at School

Home & School

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Special Notes

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Principal's Message

Events at School

Home & School

Daycare

Special Notes

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

Principal's Message

Events at School

Home & School

Daycare

Special Notes

Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)

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