Beaconsfield Middle School
630 Fundy Drive, Saint John N.B E2M 2S5 Phone: 658-5333
Principal: Mr. Art Sisk
DECEMBER 2016
NEWSLETTER
Dates to Note for the Month of December:
December 8th Environment Club’s “Gently Used Sale”
December 19th School Wide Science Fair
December 21st Holiday Dinner
December 22nd School Holiday Social
December 23rd School Wide Holiday Sing Song
The staff of Beaconsfield is very pleased with student progress for term 1 and we are very excited to report that most classes had over 75% of our students participate with their parent(s) or adult mentor in the first term celebration of learning. This student led conference process was held on November 24th and November 25th. We have come to know that “when a child’s teacher and parent make a mutual commitment to the best interest of the child, he feels supported on all fronts”. With at least two adults as caring guides, she/he feels that she/ he is competent to learn, but more importantly, they feels supported as a person”.
We hope that this event served as a springboard to improvement planning for all student situations. The school is very anxious to implement interventions to support learning for all students where needed as we begin term 2
Students, school staff and parents have been asked to contribute to the school improvement planning process by doing the “Tell Them From Me” surveys. This activity provides the community with the opportunity to anonymously provide details about their learning experiences at the school so that the data can be collected and used accordingly.
All students, staff and parents/guardians should be aware that the very popular “Pat On The Back” program exists through the generous support of donors in our community. This year we are again seeking community support for the program. If you have access to something that you could donate or know of someone who could donate something, please let us know. There are information cover letters explaining the “Pat On The Back” program available at the school should you wish to approach a local business or organization. Very special thanks to all that have contributed!
In addition to promoting wellness in our school community, our school will closely follow the Nutritional Policy of Anglophone South School District and the New Brunswick Department of Education. It is very important that parents/guardians and schools work together to ensure that the nutritional wellbeing of children is supported and encouraged through a healthy eating environment. Well-nourished children and adolescents are more likely to be prepared to learn, be physically active and maintain their health into adulthood. We strongly discourage the consumption of energy drinks at school as well as other products that lack nutritional value for students.
The school has once again applied for and received grant money through the Breakfast for Learning Grant. The grant received, will serve to help students obtain healthy snacks throughout the day. It is important to note that this is a program designed to support the nutritional needs of our adolescent learners, not replace current lunch programs/practices. The vision of the Breakfast Program is to ensure that every child in Canada attends school well-nourished and ready to learn.
All students participating in interscholastic sports are required to have an “Interscholastic Sports Forms” signed and returned before participating in any sports or activities. The school is also advising the parents/guardians that accident insurance should be purchased for all students participating in interscholastic sports. This can be done by obtaining a form from the school. The coverage is offered through Reliable Life Insurance Company @
http://www.insuremykids.co.
Also, any student traveling to or from games or practices must do so with a registered Volunteer Driver. All Volunteer Drivers can only transport students if they have winter tires on their vehicles after October 15th. The forms with details about this requirement are available in the office.
Students at Beaconsfield are encouraged to stay for lunch at the school but they must conduct themselves according to expectations set out by their homeroom teachers, student classroom monitors and the school administration. Those students who fail to comply will not benefit from the volunteered supervision of staff members at lunch. Also, only those students who have an official lunch form signed by their parent/guardian are allowed to leave the school grounds at lunch.
A reminder to all parents that the front of the school is a designated school bus area designed for the loading and the unloading of students. All vehicle operators are asked to refrain from parking in the area directly in front of the school and always avoid idling vehicles in the area of the school. Your cooperation is very well appreciated. The school staff and Saint John Police Force will continue to monitor this area with the safety of all in mind.
Together we are taking positive actions and improving outcomes for kid’s mental health in New Brunswick. Just imagine-on Friday, December 2th at 12 noon, almost 50 000 students in grades three to eight from around the province will be ringing bells for one minute in support of mental health. Our students are invited and encouraged to bring a bell of some sort to ring while in the school yard on Monday December 2nd. There is a bell on the “Dots for Kids” Mental Health website that everyone can access to ring and be counted as one of the growing number of people who support kid’s mental health in New Brunswick.
The school is also doing a change drive for Romero House. The fundraiser is actually a school wide challenge called “Trim the Tree for Romero House”. All proceeds will be donated directly to the needy of our community. So clean out your change jars and pockets and forward that loose change to the school for this great cause. Any support is obviously appreciated.
Also as a fund raising initiative for the school, Mr. Patterson and his grade 8 homeroom have started putting Math, Tech. and LA to real world uses in the manufacturing of chill stands and BEAB Bots. They are selling for $5.00 each or 5 for $20.00 and all profits are going back into the school. What are they you ask? A chill stand is a desktop holder for phones or tablets whereas the BEAC Bot is an adorable wooden robot that makes a perfect gift for that hard to buy for someone on your holiday shopping list!
Finally, as the winter weather arrives, we are asking that parents help support a safe school environment by reminding your child/children of the following expectations:
- Throwing snow on the way to and from school, and while they are in the school yard is strictly prohibited.
- Students must dress appropriately for the weather as students remain outdoors in the morning until 8:20 and go out for 20 minutes every day at lunch unless there is an extreme weather warnings issued.
- Parents should help students select a safe route to and from school so that they can avoid walking on roadways. Please contact the City of Saint John Works Department with any concerns about public safety on the sidewalks.
On behalf of the Staff and students of Beaconsfield, we wish you a wonderful holiday season and look forward to seeing you in the New Year.
Kind Regards
Arthur P. Sisk
“We make a living by what we get, but
we make a life by what we give.”
Winston Churchill
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NEWSLETTER TEAR OFF
STUDENT’S NAME____________________________________
Parent’s Signature_______________________________
Information Regarding Inclement Weather
Anglophone South School District is committed to the safe and efficient transportation of students and recognizes that it may be necessary to cancel a bus run(s), close school(s), or delay school opening to ensure students are not endangered by hazards brought on by poor weather or road conditions. Our decisions must be made prior to 6:30 a.m. and they are based on the forecasts we have, and information we are able to collect on road conditions.
The following options are considered when deciding what to do during inclement weather situations:
1. Schools are open as usual in which case no announcement will be made.
2. All schools are closed for the day with an appropriate announcement being relayed to:
· the local radio stations prior to 6:30 a.m.
· the District Information Phone line – for school closures
(toll free:1-855-535-7669 [SNOW] ).
Parents are encouraged to access the above noted methods early in the morning, particularly on days when the weather is inclement.
3. Schools are closed by Education Centre:
· Hampton Education Centre
· Saint John Education Centre
· St. Stephen Education Centre
Schools within an Education Centre may be closed depending on conditions.
4. School bus runs are delayed one/two hour(s). On these occasions, all schools will open at their regular time to receive students. Students arriving late will not be penalized.
5. Schools may be closed early on days when the weather conditions are anticipated to deteriorate significantly during the day. Every effort will be made to notify parents by telephone for students in Kindergarten to Grade 5. We use media, voice mail and email. Families are reminded of the importance of ensuring alternate arrangements are in place for their child(ren) in cases when they or another adult will not be available to be home.
During the winter months, there may be occasions when the condition of a particular road along a bus driver’s route is hazardous. Individual school bus drivers have a responsibility to recommend to their supervisor either the cancellation or delay of their individual bus runs should they have a safety concern. Whenever possible, notice of a late bus or a cancelled bus run will be announced on the radio and posted on the Website.
While the loss of valuable instruction time is always a concern, the safety of students is paramount. The decision to close schools is always made with this in mind. If schools remain open, and as a parent/guardian you feel that conditions in your area are not safe for your child to go to school, then ultimately you have the final decision whether or not to send your child to school. Absences on these days will not be a factor in a student’s attendance record.
District Information Phone Line: 1-855-535-7669 [SNOW]