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 will be delivering food baskets and gifts to 24 families from our school. We are working with St. Aloysius Church on this Christmas project.
With winter upon us, there is the possibility of “Snow Days” or bus cancellations. You can sign-up for the free “Remind” app to receive notice of any snow days. You will receive a text immediately if school or buses are cancelled. You also receive any new information about Covid-19 through Remind.
Reminder that January 4th is a PD day directly following the holiday. Our first day back to school is Tuesday, January 5th.
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 during recess and gym class.
Events at School
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 14TH
HOLIDAY SWEATER DAY -Monday
Put on a holiday sweater or something red and green to start the week of festivities.
HOLIDAY HAT DAY -Tuesday
Break out the Santa hat or reindeer antlers for holiday hat day.
PAJAMA DAY -Wednesday
Please wear your favourite pajamas to celebrate the last day of school for 2020.
HOLIDAY TRIVIA
A new trivia question will be announced each day with two winners from each class for a special prize.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES AT HOME ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY
As announced by the Premier, we will be closed on Thursday, December 17th and Friday, December 18th. Children will learn at home on these two days.
HOLIDAY CONCERT
On Friday, December 18th we will send a link via Remind and email to our concert. Classes will be recorded singing a song, doing a short skit, telling holiday jokes or other presentations. You can enjoy it from home with your families.
MONTHLY ASSEMBLY
Our next assembly will be on Thursday, December 17th, where we will celebrate the students who have shown the chosen virtue throughout the month.
We will send the link via Remind and email to everyone at home.
December is PERSEVERANCE month. We hope to see students who are always working hard and not giving up.
TRIBES 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 Greater Gatineau Greatest Online Auction will be open until December 5th. Place a bid on your favourite item and support our school.
We are also 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 will have some new activities coming in the new year.
The next Home & School meeting will be on December 8 at 6:30pm. We hold our meetings through Zoom, please reach out to us via email if you would like to attend.
The Home & School would like to wish all Greater Gatineau families a very happy holiday season!
Daycare
Our next PD day is immediately following the holiday on Monday, January 4th, 2021. This day is open to all Greater Gatineau School students. The deadline for registration is Friday, December 11th. Please sign up for @ggdaycare 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) 643-6365 or e-mail jplaxton@wqsb.qc.ca
Special Notes
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 9th, 2020.
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.
We will be following Public Health protocols by isolating the food items for a few days before they are prepared for families.
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 make the Christmas season a little brighter.
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 $20.00 or $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 Katharine at kandriano@wqsb.qc.ca and we will be happy to send one home by email.
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 9th, so they can be organized and isolated for a period of time to follow health protocols.
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.
GIFTS FOR STAFF MEMBERS
We have received inquiries regarding staff Christmas gifts. If you wanted to send something we have designed a plan to meet Public Health guidelines.
- Gifts must be dropped off by parents and cannot be sent in with students
- We will quarantine the gift before delivering to staff
- Homemade food items cannot be accepted but store bought and packaged items can
- The deadline for dropping off gifts is Wednesday, December 9th
Gifts are not expected. If you do feel like sharing some holiday cheer, your happy thoughts and well wishes are more than enough to make our holidays bright.
RAISING ETHICAL KIDS FOR A NETWORKED WORLD
Free Zoom Webinar for Parents, Guardians & School Staff
In your Home through Zoom
Wednesday, December 2 | 7:00-8:30 PM
With special guests, Matthew Johnson, Director of Education, MediaSmarts
Join us as we examine some of the moral dilemmas that kids face in their online activities and share some strategies to help them build the social and emotional intelligence that is needed to support ethical decision making – and build resiliency if things go wrong. This webinar will address different aspects of cyberbullying, from online “griefing” and
harassment, to online hate and the sharing of personal information, as well as provide practical tips for preventing and dealing with it.
To register for this Zoom Webinar and for help connecting online,
please contact us at 819-557-0615 or info@centreconnexions.org