École Guelph Lake Public School

April Communication to Families

Posted March 27, 2024

Bonjour!

It is hard to believe that April is already upon us. The weather is improving after the brief return of winter conditions last week.  We have had a great few weeks after March Break and we are looking forward to the (more consistent) milder spring temperatures. The field area continues to be muddy; please consider packing an extra pair of pants and socks in your student’s school bag.  

As a reminder to families, the school is closed on Friday, March 29 for Good Friday and Monday, April 1 for Easter Monday.  

Please join us for the School Council unlearn Parent Engagement event on April 15 from 7:00-8:00 p.m.  We have partnered with Victory Public School to offer this exciting opportunity to parents and guardians.  A flyer with further details is available here.

Please see below for important April updates from the school and from the School Council.

Bonne journée!

UGDSB Support Website for Math

Families have access to the UGDSB Games and Activities that Support Mathematical Thinking website. This website includes information about mindsets for math and the importance of math play, as well as games for Primary, Junior & Intermediate-aged children. This website can be found on the Parent Involvement Committee site.

Reminder: April Professional Activity Day Date Change

The Upper Grand District School Board has made the decision to move the PA Day originally scheduled for Friday, April 19, 2024, to Monday, April 8, 2024.  We are making this adjustment due to the fact that the solar eclipse is set to occur during school dismissal, when students will not have full supervision and will be traveling home. This decision is being made by the UGDSB and Wellington Catholic District School Board, and is in line with similar changes announced by other school boards.  The Ministry of Education recognizes the importance of this adjustment and has encouraged school boards to prioritize safety in such unique circumstances. This rare event provides a great opportunity for learning. Please see below for learning resources and information about the April solar eclipse. 

• Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Eclipse Info: https://rasc.ca/eclipse2024 
• NASA Eclipse Safety: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/
• Guide to the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse: https://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/2024-total-solar-eclipse-guide
• NASA 2024 Solar Eclipse Info: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/
• Kitchener-Waterloo Astronomy Club Info: https://www.kw.rasc.ca/eclipse2024
• Solar Eclipse Eye Safety: https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety 
• Discover the Universe Learning Resources: https://www.discovertheuniverse.ca/resources 
• WDGPH’s eclipse webpage is now live! Public Health has also prepared this Public Health Safety for Solar Eclipse (PDF) fact sheet.

The Professional Activity Day plan for April 8th can be found posted on the front doors of the school, on the school website or by clicking here for an electronic version.

Ministry of Education Parent Resource Flyer

The Ministry of Education is pleased to inform you that the Parent’s Guide to Ontario’s Education System was launched in March. This new resource will provide parents with helpful information that supports them to have a stronger role and actively participate in their children’s education. The guide covers a number of subjects such as knowing how their child is doing in school, learning about suspension and expulsion processes, attending a school council meeting or parent involvement committee meeting, and knowing about specialized supports to help all children succeed. This initiative is part of the government’s recent efforts to increase transparency and accountability in our school system. The full guide can be found at www.Ontario.ca/educationguide.  Promotional flyers are available in 10 different languages (i.e., English, French, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Punjabi, Tagalog, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and Hindi) and include a QR code that links to the full guide. Parent Resource Flyers

Lost and Found

We have several full tables of lost and found items.  The items will remain on display until April 15 (i.e., the evening of the School Council unlearn event).  On April 16, the remaining items will be washed and donated.

Reminder:  April-June Pizza Order

The April – June École Guelph Lake pizza orders are facilitated by Lunch Box through your School Cash Online account.  We will continue to receive pizza from our local Gino’s location.  Orders may be placed at any time via Lunch Box through your School Cash Online account.  Please see the LunchBox Parent FAQ document for further information.

Reminder: Grade 8 Trip Fundraiser – Subway, Marble Slab and Terra Cotta cookies

To fundraise for the Grade 8 end of year trip, students are welcome to purchase Subway sandwiches, Marble Slab frozen yogurt or Terra Cookies.  Delivery dates and ordering instructions are:

Occupational Therapist Newsletter – Calming Strategies

This month’s featured topic from our Occupational Therapy partners at KidsAbility Partnering for Change Program is calming strategies.  Please see their newsletter for more information.

EQAO Webinar for Parents and Guardians of Elementary School Students – April 3 and 10

Register for this free live webinar and learn about EQAO’s primary- and junior-division Assessments of Reading, Writing and Mathematics. Participants will learn about the purpose of Ontario’s large-scale assessments. EQAO staff will explain the assessment format, highlight resources to support students and answer questions from participants. Registration

Important Dates in April

The École Guelph Lake school calendar can be accessed from our school website.  The UGDSB school year calendar and cycle day calendars are located on the UGDSB website. Please see below some important dates for April.  (Please note, these dates are subject to change, however the school calendar on the school website will be updated as required).

School Council Update

Please join us for our unlearn School Council Parent Engagement event on April 15 from 7:00-8:00 p.m.  We have partnered with Victory Public School to offer this exciting opportunity to parents and guardians.  A flyer with further details is available here.  The next School Council meeting will take place, virtually, on Thursday, May 16 from 7:00-8:00 p.m.  The School Council minutes from the previous meetings are available on the School Council page of the school website.  The May 16 meeting agenda will be available on the School Council page of the school website prior to the meeting.

Categories: Newsletters