We hope everyone has been enjoying the last week of the summer holidays.  

We continue to welcome many new students and their families to the Newcastle community. Whether you are new to our school or returning, we hope you will take a few moments to read the following information to help you and your child navigate a safe return to in-person learning at Newcastle Public School.    

The following information will help families navigate the first day and school year.  Please take a few moments to read through.  

Start and End of Day:  Our school day begins at 9:30 AM with supervision of students and the unloading of buses beginning at 9:15 AM.  Students are not permitted to arrive before this time; they are asked to arrive after 9:15 AM. Our end-of-day bell is at 3:50 PM. 

Arriving late?: Parents should accompany their child(ren) to the front door, where they will use the buzzer to request entry. The secretary will allow you to enter and sign your child(ren) in; the student will pick up a late slip and make their way to the classroom.

SAFE ARRIVAL PROCEDURE: If your child is going to be absent you need to call Safe Arrival. It will allow you to report your child’s absence quickly and conveniently, in any one of the following three ways (before 9:25 AM) by calling 1-844-434-8119 toll-free; via the SchoolMessenger App, or by visiting https://go.schoolmessenger.ca/#/home. 

Kiss N Ride for all families:  Kiss N Ride continues to be an option for morning drop-off for all students and the process is again similar to last year. Staff members will be there to open car doors and assist students exiting the vehicles so traffic flows smoothly and safely. Please stay in your car and pull as far forward as you are able when entering the Kiss N Ride loop. 

*Important note regarding the end of the day:   Families who wish to sign out students before our dismissal bell must do so before 3:30 PM or you will need to wait until after the students are dismissed at 3:50 PM. 

Front of School and South Entrance to Yard CLOSED & School Yard Access: To ensure easy access to buses by our students, the front of the school is closed to everyone except for students riding the bus to ensure the safe unloading of buses at the beginning of the day and re-loading of buses at the end of the day. 

Commuters driving down to the court to drop off students are not permitted to enter our bus zone/front of the school from 9:10-9:35 AM & 3:30-4:00 PM. In other words, there is no access to the front doors, across the front of the school or entrance/ exit to the south school yard during this time. 

The parking lot at the end of Glass Court is for staff only. There is limited street parking available on Glass Court (do not park in no-stopping areas) and Beaver Street; we encourage the use of our Kiss N Ride.

We thank you for ensuring your routines for drop-off and pick-up follow our procedures.  

Families and Pets:  Please note that dogs are not permitted on school property; as well, dogs should not be near tighter and congested areas - gates to the school, tight paths, or near Kiss N Ride. Many children are apprehensive (SCARED) of dogs.  Thank you for your understanding.

Staffing Updates:  Since we shared our staffing with the NPS community in June, we experienced some additional changes over the summer/ up until Friday.

Teacher staff updates:   In Kindergarten, Ms. Lisle joins Ms. LeRoy, Ms. MacNeil joins Ms. Hare, and Ms. Atfield teams up with Ms. Carter.  Ms. Duemmel will be providing Phys. Ed to many of our Kindergarten classes as well as English to French Immersion students.  Mlle. Dingwall joins the FI Team and will teach Grade 2 as Mme. Henry continues her maternity leave.  Ms. Steele joins the Grade 2 Teaching team, and lastly, we welcome Ms. Shotlander as our Primary Communications Class Teacher.

Support Staff updates:  We also welcome Ms. Kelly, Ms. Cappellani, Ms. Coyle, Ms. Buxton, and Ms. St. Amand to our support staff team; along with Mme. Zelaya who joins our FI Kindergarten Team; and welcome back Ms. Maxwell as she rejoins our secretary team.   We also welcome Mr. Dehaan and Mr. Grills to our Custodial Team.

Nutrition Break & Packing lunches:  Please ensure you pack adequate snacks and lunch items that your child(ren) can open independently. A reminder that we are a NUT SAFE school. In addition, it would be helpful for students to use reusable containers and take home as much of their garbage as possible to limit the amount of movement in a room during eating time.  

Quick Summary of Entrance/Exit (AM / PM):

Kindergarten classes from McNeil/Hare, Norsworthy/ Bachani, Atfield/ Carter, Mason/ Cullen, Lisle/ LeRoy & Wilson/ Steven will arrive/enter through the north gates of the Kindergarten yard.  End-of-day dismissal will be either at the north gate by the YMCA, Kindergarten Yard, or at the North doors by our main playground.  Your child(ren)’s kindergarten team will communicate this with you.   

-Classes:  McFadyen, Deyell, Bridger, Acoba, Kelly & Hutchinson will enter and exit through the north doors by the main playground/ YMCA fenced yard.

-Classes: Dyson, Ruddell, and Steele will enter and exit through the west doors (north side)

-Classes: Shotlander (PCC), Allen/Trzaskalski (SK), will enter and exit through the south doors & Vohra-Finney/ Zelaya (SK), & Robson (SK) will enter through the south doors, but exit through the west doors at the end of the day..

-Classes: Thomas, Shaughnessy, Morrison, Locatelli-Rolle, Welsh & Henze will enter and exit through the west doors (south side).

-Port a Pac Hoare, Brooks, Breton, Dingwall, Lavigne & Hartt will enter and exit through the doors of the Port a Pac.

-Single portable Will will exit through their classroom door.

Volunteering at NPS:  If you are interested in volunteering at our school, you require a current police check on file.  Police checks are valid for 1 year and can be completed online by visiting https://www.drps.ca/online-services/police-records/police-record-checks/  When completing your application, you will also need a volunteer letter from us which is available by clicking here.

Edsby:  This past Thursday, invites were sent to families to connect to Edsby.  If you are having trouble connecting or did not receive the invitation, please contact us at the school. 

Upcoming Dates in September:

3rd - 2024/2025 school year begins

13th -  NPS School Spirit Day (School Colours / Spirit Wear NPS tattoos)

19th - Open House (5:30-6:30)

23rd - Photo Day JK-1

24th - Photo Day Gr. 2-4

25th - Franco Ontarian Day

27th - PA Day

30th - National Day of Truth & Reconciliation Assembly

Thank you for taking the time to review the above information.  We are looking forward to an exciting year with all of you - 2 more sleeps!  

Our school was filled with excitement today as we welcomed the majority of our students to the 2024/2025 school year; it has been wonderful to reconnect with familiar friends and meet new classmates.    

Student Verification Forms, tech agreement & information/communication release forms:  Paper copies of student verification forms are being sent home with your child this afternoon.  Please check your child’s backpack or agenda (if applicable) for your child’s form.  Please carefully review the form to ensure that all information is correct (address, phone numbers, medication, etc.,) as this information is used to update our database. 

 All forms are to be returned to your child’s teacher/teaching team by Friday, September 13th.

 Plan of Care Medical Forms:  Plan of Care medical forms were sent home in June.  Please return the updated form and medication (if applicable) ASAP.    If your child(ren) no longer requires a medical plan of care, there is a tear-off portion to request it be discontinued. If you require a new/additional copy of the medical forms, or if you have any other questions, please contact the school at (905)987-4262.

School Messenger:  SchoolMessenger is used to report student absences and late arrivals to school. The program is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which means even future absences can be reported. Please ensure late arrivals and absences are reported before 9:30 am the day of the occurrence.   

Click here to learn more.

Volunteering at NPS:  If you are interested in volunteering at our school, you require a current police check on file.  Police checks are valid for 1 year and can be completed online by visiting https://www.drps.ca/online-services/police-records/police-record-checks/  When completing your application, you will also need a volunteer letter from us which is available by clicking here.

Upcoming Dates in September:

13th - NPS School Spirit Day (School Colours / Spirit Wear NPS tattoos)

19th - Open House (5:30-6:30)

23rd - Photo Day JK-1

24th - Photo Day Gr. 2-4

25th - Franco Ontarian Day

27th - PA Day

30th - National Day of Truth & Reconciliation Assembly 

Christopher Johnson (Principal)             Eric Grice (Vice Principal)

A reminder that your child’s verification form should have arrived home with your child earlier this week.  Please take a few moments as soon as possible to update, confirm, or complete the information on these forms and return them to your child’s teacher. 

Tomorrow we welcome all Junior Kindergarten Students as they begin their first full day of school.  Traditionally, we see an uptick in vehicle traffic around the school.  Families are reminded to abide by the newly reduced speed limits as well as newly posted/revised parking signage along the bottom of Glass Crt. Don’t forget that our Kiss N Ride is a safe, quick and easy option to drop off your child(ren) in the morning.  

School Messenger:  School Messenger is the software app we use to communicate electronically with families.  The School Messenger App can also record student absences and receive text notifications (from us).  In the past, we have sent out text messages about delayed buses, Spirit Day Reminders, and to our Ski/Snowboard club.  Once set up, the app is easy to use and ensures you are updated on all things NPS. For more information, about the School Messenger App, please click here.  Page 12 of this document explains how to opt in for text messages.  When there is a sudden communication or reminder that we wish to get to families quickly, it is through text messaging.  If you did not receive a text message from NPS earlier this week, you are not signed up for this service.

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board now offers Credit Cards as a Payment Option!  “The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board uses SchoolCash Online for all school items and activity fees. SchoolCash Online will help our school district in many ways: parents will be notified automatically about items and fees for their students and have the convenience of a secure online payment platform, and the schools will improve safety and reduce risk by minimizing cash and check payments at our schools”.  To learn more about School Cash One Payment Options, click here.

Student Bus App:   If your child relies on the bus for transportation to and from the school, families are asked to download the “Bus Planner App”. For more information, click this link.

Plan of Care Medical Forms:  Plan of Care medical forms were sent home in June.  Please return the updated form and medication (if applicable) ASAP.    If your child(ren) no longer requires a medical plan of care, there is a tear-off portion to request discontinuation. If you require a new/additional copy of the medical forms, or if you have any other questions, please contact the school at (905) 987-4262.

Sports Updates:  Grade 4 Students were invited to pick up a permission form to try out for our Soccer Team and within the next week additional information will be announced for both Cross Country as well as Rugby!  Remind your child to listen to those morning announcements!!!

NPS Book Fair:  It’s September, which means the Scholastic Book Fair is again coming to Newcastle Public School.  Stay tuned - more details to follow!

If you have any questions about the above information, please contact us at the school - 905.987.4262

NPS COUNCIL CONNECTION

Message from Your School & Community Council

Welcome to the 2024/2025 School year!  

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Stefanie Lingard, and I’ve chaired the Newcastle School Community Council for the past year along with a wonderful team of parents. If you are new to the Newcastle School Community - Welcome! Newcastle Public School is an amazing school with an amazing community!  

Over the past couple of years, our School Council has declined in volunteers. We have a small group of council members who do a lot of work, and we are hoping more parents will consider joining our team during the 2024/2025 school year.   

If you are wondering about the time commitment, the answer depends on your role. All members of the council are asked to attend the monthly 1-½ hour council meeting. Executive positions on the council usually spend about another ½ hour to 2 hours a month on reports and communications. The time spent on other council roles varies on the time you and other volunteers have to commit to it. 

We provide input to our school principal team and KPR administration, opportunities to purchase a weekly lunch through the Hot Lunch program, and snack baskets for every class to ensure no kids go hungry. We also run numerous events and fundraisers, like Fun Fair, Dance-a-Thon, etc. Lastly, we provide the school with additional funds for extra programs. In the past 9 years, we have been able to give back to NPS over $300,000 to support library programs, Battle of the Books, technology, Scientists in the School, math manipulatives, arts and music presentations and so much more! 

Our first Council meeting will take place in the school library at 6 PM on Monday, September 16th; everyone is welcome!  Our Council is made up of NPS Parents that include 4 Voting Executive positions; Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer & Secretary.  Other positions include; Fundraising Coordinator, Hot Lunch Coordinator, Snack Program Coordinator, Regional Rep, and Member at Large...these positions can be either Voting or Non-Voting positions;

If you would like to hold a position on the council or know someone who might be interested, please complete the nomination form.

To achieve our goals, we need your help!!  If you can’t join the Council, but can support one of our fundraising programs, support the snack or hot lunch program, please complete the Volunteer Form

As always, be sure to continue to check email, Edsby, and phone texts regularly to get updated information on what is happening at NPS.  If you have any concerns, please reach out to your child’s teacher, Mr. Johnson, or Mr. Grice, or call the office directly - 905.987.4262

Stef Lingard

 2023/2024 School Council Chair

Dear NPS Families,

Congratulations to our students and staff for such a great return to school this past week.  On Friday, we welcomed our 84 junior kindergarten students to their first full day of school.  This week will be our first full week of school, and we would like to outline and remind our families of a few things:  

VERIFICATION FORMS:  A reminder that your child’s verification form should have arrived home with your child earlier last week.  Thank you to everyone who has returned their child’s form to their classroom teacher.  Please take a few moments as soon as possible to update, confirm, or complete the information on these forms and return them to your child’s teacher.

The front of the school is for BUS STUDENTS ONLY:  As you may know, we have 7 large and 3 small buses that service our school daily.  These buses provide transportation to 325 students.  To ensure we can direct students safely in the morning to their play areas or organize ourselves to leave at the end of the day, we request that families dropping or picking up their children do not enter the front of the school sidewalk area between 9:15-9:30 am & 3:40-4:00 pm.

Parking Reminders:  A reminder to families that the south parking lot is closed to families for drop off and pick up. As well, over the summer, the Municipality made changes when it comes to street parking.  The by-law officers will ticket vehicles that are parked in restricted zones.  

SAFE ARRIVAL PROCEDURE: If your child is going to be absent you need to call Safe Arrival. It will allow you to report your child’s absence quickly and conveniently, in any one of the following three ways (before 9:25 am): 

• by calling 1-844-434-8119 toll free
• via the SchoolMessenger App
• by visiting https://go.schoolmessenger.ca/#/home  

You will be able to use whichever of these methods you prefer to report your child’s absence, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You also will be able to report future absences at any time. For more information, click here.

NPS School Spirit Wear:  Our Spirit Wear store is open until September 30th!  Click https://www.schoolwear.ca/nps/ to place your order.  You will find NPS Spirit Wear for everyone: clothing, jerseys, pink shirts, and more!  Order online and have the order shipped directly to your home at a flat rate or free shipping to our school in batches.

Free shipping to School - Enter the school address: 50 Glass Crt, Newcastle ON L1B 1M5 at checkout and pick the "free ship to school" option.

Click here for Ordering Guidelines. Orders may take up to 6-8 weeks for delivery.

Weekly Hot Lunch - Pizza - 1st Pizza date is Wednesday, September 18th: Many families signed up for our weekly “Hot Lunch” Program for the past few years.  Families can order Pizza (Cheese and/or Pepperoni) through ‘Healthy Hunger’. These will be delivered each Wednesday for our first Nutrition Break (11:30 am. - 12:10 pm).  The price of a slice is the same as last year - $2.75 each.

Please read on to set up your ‘Healthy Hunger’ account.  (*The ordering deadline each week is the Friday of the week before @ 11:00 pm)  

Set up an account or login to:  www.healthyhunger.ca

1. Click “REGISTER STUDENT”   (you can order multiple lunches for multiple students.)
2. Select the lunches you want to order.
3. Pay with a credit card or interact (please note: Healthy Hunger will charge a service charge.)

Benefits of the Healthy Hunger Program:

1. Receive reminder emails for each lunch so you know what you have ordered.
2. Notifications when there are upcoming lunches and special days.
3. Very flexible, you can order or cancel up to 5 days before the lunch date.

If you have any questions about the above information, please contact us at the school.

Personal Mobile Device Use - throughout Ontario Schools:  As you may have already heard, new provincial government legislation has resulted in changes to the use of mobile devices in schools. A mobile device is any personal electronic device that can be used to communicate or access the Internet, such as a laptop, cellphone, tablet, or smartwatch.  To ensure a focused and engaging learning environment, we will require all personal mobile devices to be stored out of view during the school day (elementary) or during instructional time (secondary). Students who need to use their phones are asked to speak with an educator so that we can work together to find an appropriate solution. While we understand that these changes may be difficult, please know that creating and maintaining a protected space for learning in our classrooms is our goal.

Upcoming Dates in September:

13th - NPS School Spirit Day (School Colours / Spirit Wear NPS tattoos coming home this week)

16th - NPS School Council Meeting (@ 6:00 pm in the library)

19th - Open House (5:30-6:30 pm)

23rd - Photo Day JK-1

24th - Photo Day Gr. 2-4

25th - Franco-Ontarian Day

27th - PA Day 

30th - National Day of Truth & Reconciliation Assembly

Christopher Johnson (Principal)             Eric Grice (Vice Principal)

Today was our first ‘NPS Spirit Day’ and it was great to see so many students with school spirit colours, shirts, and tattoos!  We hope everyone is getting into ‘back to school routines.’  We have a few items to share with you about the NPS Bookfair and some reminders about Spirit Wear and Hot Lunch options.

NPS School Spirit Wear - Reminder:  Our Spirit Wear store is open until September 30th!  Click https://www.schoolwear.ca/nps/ to place your order.  You will find NPS Spirit Wear for everyone: clothing, jerseys, pink shirts, and more!  Order online and have the order shipped directly to your home at a flat rate or free shipping to our school in batches.  Free shipping to School - Enter the school address: 50 Glass Crt, Newcastle ON L1B 1M5 at checkout and pick the "free ship to school" option.

Click here for Ordering Guidelines. Orders may take up to 6-8 weeks for delivery.

Weekly Hot Lunch - Pizza - 1st Pizza date is Wednesday, September 18th: Many families signed up for our weekly “Hot Lunch” Program for the past few years.  Families can order Pizza (Cheese and/or Pepperoni) through ‘Healthy Hunger’. These will be delivered each Wednesday for our first Nutrition Break (11:30 am. - 12:10 pm).  The price of a slice is the same as last year - $2.75 each. (*The ordering deadline to order for next Wednesday is tonight (Friday) before 11:00 pm)  

Set up an account or login to:  www.healthyhunger.ca 

Book Fair: NPS is very excited to host a Scholastic Book Fair this year! Our materials arrived today and our book fair will begin on Tuesday, September 17th.  Students will have the opportunity to visit the book fair with their class and create a wish list if they so choose. There will be time for students to bring in money to shop during school or at some nutrition breaks. The book fair will also be open each evening for families to visit together, browse, and buy some awesome books. Our proceeds go towards books for the school; some for the library and money for each class to spend on books for their own personal libraries. Last year we raised over $10,000 ($8000 of which we get to keep for our school!) and we hope to do just as well this year!

Here are Mr. Mac’s extended book fair hours:

Wednesday, September 18: 4-5

Thursday, September 19: 5-8 (come during Meet the Teacher - a warning this is a BUSY night)

Friday, September 20: 4-6

Monday, September 23: 4-7

Tuesday, September 24: 4-5

Wednesday, September 25: 4-5

Thursday, September 26: 4-6

I hope you have a chance to join us in the library for Book Fair. If you would like to volunteer, send Mr. Mac an email (bradley_macmaster@kprdsb.ca).

Volunteers in the library:  Besides the book fair, Mr. Mac is ALWAYS looking for AMAZING volunteers to help check in and shelve books in the library! If you are interested in helping out and have a valid police check on file at the office, please send him an email (bradley_macmaster@kprdsb.ca)

NPS & Terry Fox:  This afternoon, our school gathered to learn about Terry Fox and our upcoming NPS Terry Fox Run/Walk.  Look for a Terry Fox Communication next week!

Upcoming Dates in September:

16th - NPS School Council Meeting (@ 6:00 pm in the library)

17th - Bood Fair begins (details above)

17th - Jr. Soccer Tournament

19th - Open House (5:30-6:30)

23rd - Photo Day JK-1

24th - Photo Day Gr. 2-4

25th - Franco-Ontarian Day

26th Jr. Cross Country

27th - PA Day 

30th - National Day of Truth & Reconciliation Assembly

We hope everyone can enjoy the forecasted beautiful weather.

Happy Friday!

We are pleased to announce the KICK-OFF to the NPS annual Terry Fox Run this year.   Our event will take place on Friday, October 11, 2024, and ALL K-4 students will be participating!!!

There will be plenty of more information to follow, but for today, we wanted to outline a couple of components of this campaign.

Each year, The Terry Fox Foundation sells cool and unique T-shirts that can be purchased and worn on the day of the event.  This year’s shirt is available in English and French and features the tagline, “No Matter What (Quoi Qu’il Arrive)”, celebrating Terry’s unwavering determination, no matter the challenges or circumstances, when running his iconic Marathon of Hope in 1980.

If you would like to purchase a shirt for your child(ren) (or if you would like a shirt yourself), you can place your order using School Cash Online.  The shirts come in English and French.  Kids shirts come in sizes 6X, 8, and 10 and are $21.50. Adult shirts are available in sizes Small, Medium, Large, XL, and XXL and are $26.50.  

All T-shirt sales go towards our NPS fundraising total!!!

In School Cash Online:

-This year, the shirts are available in English and French, please ensure you are looking at this when ordering.

-If you would like to order multiple shirts in different sizes, you will choose all the sizes you want, check the “Quantity” box at the bottom then, “Add to cart”. 

-If you would like to order multiple shirts in the same size, you will choose the size you want multiple of then change the “Quantity” box at the bottom to the number needed then “Add to cart”.

Please check your cart closely before proceeding to payment as sizes and quantities cannot be changed once submitted.  

The deadline for T-shirt orders is Wednesday, September 25th at 11:59pm.

We hope you are as excited about this year’s Terry Fox Event at NPS as we are!  For more information about how you can make donations or set up your own donation page, please see the attached flyer!

Any questions, please feel free to email Mr. Mac (bradley_macmaster@kprdsb.ca) or Mrs. Sproule (lisa_sproule@kprdsb.ca).

Thanks!

Please opt-in for text messaging for instant communication from the school and Mr. Johnson.

Dear NPS Families,

NPS Sports Update: The NPS Junior Soccer Team participated in our area tournament this past Tuesday.  Congratulations to our athletes - Sea, Madelyn, Ryleigh, Hannah, Kinley, Autumn, Angelina, Lylah, Nora, Jackson, Xavier, Henry, Ike, Brayden, Ethan, Everett, Landon, Luke, Brody, Oliver & Logan!  The team played very well, with a record of 1 tie, 2 wins and a couple of losses!  Way to go NPS!!  Thank you, Coach Ruddell & Dingwall.

In other NPS sporting news, the Cross Country Team is headed to their meet on the 25th, and Grade 4 students were invited today to pick up permission forms for the Flag Rugby Team. Shout-Out / Way to go, to all the students who are putting themselves out there to try out for the various teams!!

Weekly Hot Lunch & Booster Juice - REMINDER:  Our first Pizza Day was a terrific success.  If you forgot to order, or if you have not yet registered your child… read on!  Families can order Pizza (Cheese and/or Pepperoni) through ‘Healthy Hunger’. These will be delivered each Wednesday for our first Nutrition Break (11:30 am. - 12:10 pm).   Slices are $2.75 each.  We are looking to introduce other options in the near future - stay tuned!

Set up an account or log in to: www.healthyhunger.ca

NPS School Spirit Wear - REMINDER:  Last week, the Spirit Wear store opened!  Click https://www.schoolwear.ca/nps/ to place your order.  Here you will find NPS Spirit Wear for everyone: clothing, jerseys, pink shirts, and more!  Order online and have the order shipped directly to your home at a flat rate or free shipping to our school in batches. 

Click here for Ordering Guidelines. Orders may take up to 6-8 weeks for delivery.  The last day to order is September 30th.  

Safety Drills & Practices:  At the beginning of each school year, we practice various safety drills.  On Tuesday, we had our first Fire Drill - 2 more to go; and in the next couple of weeks, we will be engaging in a practice Lockdown.  

School Messenger:  School Messenger is the software app that we use to communicate with families.  In addition,  The School Messenger App can also be used to record student absences and to receive text notifications (from us).   Manually “Opting” into the School Messaging Text Messaging Service is soooo easy!  If you do not receive text messages and would like to “Opt” into the service, you can opt into this free service* by sending a text message to 978338 with the message of “Y” or “Yes”. You will receive a text confirming your registration.  You can opt out of these messages at any time by simply replying to one of our messages with “Stop”. Opt-In from your mobile now! Just send “Y” or “Yes” to now 978338.

*Picking up students during the school day:   If you are picking up your child during the school day, we will call them down once you have arrived in the foyer. Students will not be called prior to a parent/guardian's arrival.  A reminder to families that our nutrition breaks are 11:30-12:10 & 2:10-2:50 and it can sometimes be challenging to have your child called to the office for sign-out during those time windows.  Also, families who wish to sign out students before our dismissal bell must do so before 3:25 pm or you will need to wait until after the students are dismissed at 3:50. 

Upcoming Dates:

23rd - Photo Day JK-1

24th - Photo Day Gr. 2-4

25th - Franco-Ontarian Day

26th - Cross Country Meet

27th - PA Day 

30th - National Day of Truth & Reconciliation Assembly

Christopher Johnson (Principal)             Eric Grice (Vice Principal)

Monday, September 30th is National Day For Truth and Reconciliation. At NPS and other schools across KPRDSB, we will honour this day by coming together in our gym for a school-wide assembly.  We also encourage all of our staff and students to wear orange on Monday; we will read “The Orange Shirt Story”, by Phylis Webstad and listen to a video of her sharing her story.

What is the National Day For Truth and Reconciliation? This date was chosen as it is the time of year when children were taken from their homes to residential schools. September 30th each year is an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools, and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation. The need for this day was identified through the Calls to Action of the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission. 

What is Orange Shirt Day?   Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) Residential School (1891-1981).  Commemoration events are designed to remember and reflect upon the Canadian Residential School experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation.  

Orange Shirt Day opens the door to global conversations about all aspects of residential schools. It is an opportunity to create meaningful discussion about the effects of residential schools and the legacy they have left behind. It allows Canadians to tune in and create bridges with each other for reconciliation. This is a day to reaffirm to survivors that they matter, and so do all those whose lives have been affected. Learning Matters, Belonging Matters, Relationship Matters, and of course, Every Child Matters. Now and always. (The above overview/summary of National Day For Truth and Reconciliation is courtesy of James Brake, Superintendent of Achievement, KPRDSB.)

Last Call - NPS Spirit Wear:  A reminder that the Spirit Wear store is open until this Monday, September 30th.  Click https://www.schoolwear.ca/nps/ to place your order.  

Picture Day:  If your child was absent from school over the past couple of days and missed their chance to have their photo taken, November 4th is ‘retake day’.

LAST CALL - Terry Fox T-shirts (deadline is tonight at 11:59 pm):  If you would like to purchase a shirt you can place your order using School Cash Online.  The shirts come in English and French.  Kids shirts are $21.50. Adult shirts are available are $26.50.  All T-shirt sales go towards our NPS fundraising total!!!

In School Cash Online:

-This year, the shirts are available in English and French, please ensure you are looking at this when ordering.

-If you would like to order multiple shirts in different sizes, you will choose all the sizes you want, check the “Quantity” box at the bottom then, “Add to cart”. 

-If you would like to order multiple shirts in the same size, you will choose the size you want multiple of then change the “Quantity” box at the bottom to the number needed then “Add to cart”.

Please check your cart closely before proceeding to payment as sizes and quantities cannot be changed once submitted.  The deadline for T-shirt orders is Wednesday, September 25th at 11:59 pm.

“WOWYoga”  We are welcoming back to NPS, Katie Kopp, Registered Children's Yoga Teacher, and creator of WOWYoga!   Over the course of the year, each class will have opportunities to participate in Yoga Sessions 4 times. Such a success last year, the sessions support physical health and mental well-being.  Nothing is required for students to participate except for students to wear comfortable clothes for movement and remove shoes.  Our first session begins the week of October 7th, with additional sessions scheduled for the weeks of January 20th, March 20th, and May 26th.  Thank You to the NPS SCC for covering this opportunity!

Reminders:

-We do have water bottle filling stations on both the first and second floors. Students are encouraged to bring a refillable water bottle to school. Water fountains are also available.

-With the cooler weather in the mornings, we are seeing many students wearing new “autumn clothing”.  Families are reminded to please take a moment to label their child(ren)’s clothing with their name (sweaters, hoodies, jackets, mitts, shoes & boots) as this helps us to return misplaced items to their owner (and, to save you money)!

Upcoming Dates:

Sept. 27- PA Day (schools closed)

Sept. 30 National Day for Truth & Reconciliation Assembly

Oct. 1 - Cross Country Meet

Oct. 10 - Junior Rugby Tournament

Oct. 11 - NPS Terry Fox Day

Oct. 14 - Thanksgiving Monday (schools closed)

Oct. 25 - PA Day (schools closed)

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, at any time.

Dear NPS Families,

Change is in the air - October… the shifting of the seasons, the brilliant colours of autumn, shorter days and cooler nights. This is the time of year when the leaves drop from the trees almost as much as we collect hoodies, jackets, and other clothing items at our LOST & FOUND.  Families, ‘please please please’ take a few minutes to label your children’s clothing so that we can return lost or forgotten items!

Rosh Hashanah:  Rosh Hashanah began the evening of October 2nd. It is the beginning of the Jewish New Year and kicks off the High Holy Days. It is an important two-day holiday that focuses on long prayer services and spending time with family. This holiday is also associated with a number of different religious symbols, customs and traditions. The most famous of these are foods such as apples and honey. These days are important for atonement and reflection.  We wish all families who celebrated or who will be celebrating a Happy Rosh Hashanah!

Terry Fox Day at NPS:  We are just over a week away from our Terry Fox Day at NPS - Friday, October 11th!  Our Kindergarten Classes and Primary Communication Classes will have their schedules and times throughout the day, and our Grade 1-4 students will be running together just after 2:50 pm until the end of our day. At 1:00 pm, classes will be invited to the gym for a full school presentation.   A reminder that we are collecting ‘toonies’ for Terry along with any loose change.  Or, if you prefer, you can make an online donation.

At our assembly, we welcome two guests - Daisy Hamelinck and Farrah Kennedy.  Daisy Hamelinck from the Terry Fox Foundation will speak to our students.  Her message is clear.  One person can make a difference.  All you need is a goal and the determination to reach that goal.  She will speak about how Terry Fox was faced with many difficult decisions in his short life, and as we know, he made the decisions that made him a hero to many of us.  Daisy’s message is one of hope and appreciation.  As a speaker for the foundation, she spreads the word about the advances cancer research has made in the lives of all of us.  In particular, she is living proof of the difference.  She has had Cancer twice.  The first time, she found out that she too had the type of Cancer that Terry Fox had.  But unlike Terry, she would not lose her leg.  Instead, Dr. Wonder at Mount Sinai Hospital performed a surgery where they removed the cancerous bone from her leg (mid-thigh to foot) and replaced it with an endo-prosthetic.  An artificial leg bone was placed inside her leg and muscle and tissue were re-attached.  After extensive physiotherapy, she now enjoys the use of her leg and shares her story of optimism and determination with student and community groups.

Farrah Kennedy is an ovarian cancer survivor. She was 14 when she was diagnosed and has a great story to share. She has spoken as a survivor for Terry Fox at many schools through the GTA and Durham over the years. Also, her daughter attends NPS.

We would also like to give a special shout-out to Ashlyn Purdy (along with her brother Camden).  This past summer, Ashlyn set up her lemonade stand to raise funds for the Terry Fox Foundation.  With her determination and the Newcastle Community's support, Ashlyn raised an amazing $1,721!   

Book Fair: Mr. Mac would like to thank the amazing NPS community again for their support at this year’s Scholastic Book Fair. The school made almost $17,000 ($16, 878.35 to be exact!) thanks to everyone’s generosity. Of that amount, NPS gets to keep just over $7500(!) to purchase books for the libraries and classrooms. This year, Mr. Mac has allocated that each class be able to spend $200 on books for their classroom libraries!  Thanks, everyone!

NPS Sports:  This past Tuesday athletes of the NPS Cross Country team competed in the Clarington Meet.  Congratulations to Nora, Abisha, Mackenna, Sea, Autumn, Brooke, Angelina, Ryan, Landon, Everett, Griffin, Blake, Anthony, and Ethan.  Next Friday, a number of our athletes will venture to the final meet in Peterborough.   Thank you, coaches - Cole, Shaughnessy, & Welsh!

In addition, our Rugby Team has been practicing together as they prepare for their tournament on October 10th.  Grade 3 students were invited to join the “Kilometer Club”!  Yesterday, they ran a combined distance of 111 KM’s!   Lastly, Volleyball Intramurals are starting on October 15th! Every day at 1st break grade 4 students who are interested in learning how to play volleyball can meet Ms. Atfield and Mrs. Christie in the gym. Volleyball intramurals will run for 2 weeks before Volleyball tryouts begin! After the winter break, Intramurals will start up again for grade 3 and 4 students! 

Finally, our first FUN NIGHT of the year, dodgeball fun night is slated for Tuesday, October 22nd for any grade 4 student who wishes to participate. More details will follow next week!

Choir/Singing Club:  Mr. Mac and his choir had almost 100 grade 3 and 4 students audition to join the NPS choir this year! We are in the midst of outfitting each student for choir t-shirts and are starting to work on our song “Little Breeze” which we will film and submit for the CBC music challenge in mid-November. Mme Vohra-Finney, Mme Lavigne, and Mr. Mac will be starting a “drop-in” singing club on Day 4s for all interested grade 2 students who love to sing as well!

Grade 4 Leadership Club: The invitations have been delivered and Grade 4 Leadership Club is ready to begin next week! Leadership members help with the creation of spirit days, write announcements, help with whole school read-alouds, deliver hot lunch, organize assemblies, and much MUCH more! One of our big initiatives this year will be to organize the opening of the Time Capsule that needs to be open in 2025. Mr. Mac and Mme Dyson are so excited to work with these future leaders on these initiatives!

Battle of the Books: NPS has been doing Battle of the Books since its inception in 2008! Students work as a team to cover the 30 books on the reading list and answer questions based on the books they’ve read! This is normally a grade 4-6 endeavour, but Mrs. Deyell, Ms. Shaughnessy, and Mr. Mac feel we have a big enough group of voracious readers to put together a team this year. More information will be going out to grade 4 students next week. Stay tuned!

Grade 4 NPS Ski/Snowboard Club:   We are in the initial stages of planning our 2024 NPS Ski/Snowboard Club!  This opportunity will be open to Grade 4 students.  We are still awaiting a couple of details, and at this time wanted to share the possible dates with families: Wednesday, January 15th & 22nd; and February 5th & 12th.  Similar to the past couple of years, departure will be in the early afternoon, and return to NPS at around 8 pm.  We hope to have more details out to families in the next couple of weeks.

Upcoming Dates/Reminders:

-Oct. 7-9 - WOW Yoga (Kindergarten-Grade 4)

-Oct. 7 - NPS School Council Meeting (@6 pm in the library)

-Oct. 10 - Rugby Tournament

-Oct. 11 - Cross Country KPREAA

-Oct. 11 - Terry Fox Day @ NPS

-Oct. 14 - Thanksgiving Monday (Schools closed)

-Oct. 22 - Grade 4 “Fun Night” (Information forthcoming)

-Oct. 25 - PA Day (Schools are closed)

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, at any time.

Christopher Johnson (Principal)             Eric Grice (Vice Principal)

Dear NPS Families,

NPS came together to learn more about Terry Fox!  A Big thank you to our guests Farrah Kennedy, Daisy Hamelinck, and our own Ashlyn Purdy for sharing their stories and efforts to support the Terry Fox Foundation!  Watching our students participate in our run and walk was awesome!   Listening to student conversations; watching them push themselves throughout; reflecting on their efforts; cheering on others and taking pride in supporting the Terry Fox Foundation was so special.  Everyone is congratulated for making the day special!  Thank you everyone for your toonies for Terry, T-shirt purchases, and online donations!

“Making the Lost, Found”:  Before the first blast of wintery weather is upon us, in anticipation of cooler temperatures in the forecast next week, we are asking that families take a few minutes to label all clothing items with your child(ren)’s name. This will help to prevent other students’ mittens, snow pants, and boots from being mistakenly brought home. Over the past week, our Lost and Found has grown with many clothing items. We are hoping that our Lost & Found remains “empty”.  If we can see a name on clothing that comes down to the Lost & Found, we can get that item to its owner. Please help us to save you from experiencing frustration and lost money by adding your child’s name to their clothing (including, but not limited to boots, hats, mitts, sweaters, jackets, etc.).

Congratulations on the first 6 weeks of School:   Wow!  It is hard to believe that 28 days of learning at NPS has transpired.  The NPS Staff look forward to seeing all our students every day!   Students can fall behind in their academic, social, and emotional learning if they are absent just one or two days every few weeks, including both excused and unexcused absences.  If you are concerned about health issues that are preventing your child from attending school, please let us know so that we can ensure that they are not falling behind.

Celebrations will be taking place for many families this weekend.  Yom Kippur begins at sunset this evening and throughout the weekend families and friends will come together to celebrate Thanksgiving.  

Wishing everyone a safe weekend!

Upcoming Dates/Reminders:

-Oct. 14 - Thanksgiving Monday (Schools closed)

-Oct. 22 - Grade 4 “Fun Night” (Information sent home)

-Oct. 25 - PA Day (Schools are closed)

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, at any time.

Christopher Johnson (Principal)             Eric Grice (Vice Principal)

Dear Kindergarten Families,

On behalf of the Durham Region Health Department, please take a moment to look at  “Immunizations and School” to learn more about the Immunization of School Pupils Act.

Christopher Johnson

Principal

A BIG Shout out to Mr. MacMaster, Ms. LeRoy, staff captains, along other NPS staff volunteers for making the First Fun Night of the year such a success for our Gr. 4 students this past Tuesday!  As well, a BIG shout out to the NPS SCC for sponsoring this event by covering the Pizza Dinner for all our participants! Tuesday’s fun kicked off with staff/student Dodgeball Games (for the first time ever we had a tie!!!) - which was a blast! After school, six teams were playing each other and having fun throughout the evening!  Stay tuned for the next Fun Night (Volleyball) which will take place in February!

Spirit Day:  While some of our classes will be enjoying some Spirit Day fun on Thursday, October 31st, a reminder that options to show school spirit can range from wearing a non-complicated costume or black & orange colours. Please note that costume masks and replica weapons of any type are not permitted.

Costumes:  If your child chooses to wear a costume, we ask that the choice is respectful and does not portray a stereotyped image of a culture or group of people.  Some examples of costumes that can be problematic include Indigenous costumes involving headdresses or feathers, dressing as a homeless person, dressing as a person with any physical or mental disability, or dressing in any costume that portrays a narrow or negative stereotype about a specific ethnicity, religion, or race.

If a child is wearing a costume, they should not apply any type of make-up or mask to their faces; this is because of the length of time that product could be on their face which can lead to increased touching of the face and skin irritation.

For our younger students, we cannot assist with their costumes. Costumes need to be simple, easy to wear, to take off for washroom purposes, and they should not include props/accessories such as swords, knives, guns, lasers, pitchforks, nun chucks, lightsabers, etc.

Your child’s classroom teacher will be communicating with you further about this day, for any class-specific plans.  

Picture Retake Day Reminder - November 4th:  A reminder to families that Picture Retake Day will take place on the morning of November 4th. 

NPS SCC “Cookie Day”:  We are excited to announce our first COOKIE DAY of the year on Friday, November 22nd!  Hop on to school cash online and place your order from now until the November 15th deadline.  We will be offering delicious oatmeal chocolate chip, completely NUT FREE as always!

June 24th - End of Year Milestone Celebrations @ NPS:  Our NPS Milestone Ceremony will recognize our Grade 4 students on Tuesday, June 24th at 6:15 pm and will take place in the NPS Gym. It will be followed by some finger foods & desserts and incorporate time for families to take pictures with classmates. The evening will conclude with a dance party in the gym - students only! We will be sharing more information about our concluding ceremony as the year progresses, but wanted to ensure that our families have the date saved in their calendars!

A Reminder to everyone that tomorrow (Friday, October 25th) is a PA Day (no school… schools are closed to students).  Enjoy the long weekend and we will see everyone on Monday!

Yesterday our school gathered to recognize our Sports Teams and the accomplishments they exhibited so far this school year and to learn more about Project of Heart!  Yesterday, just before our assembly, we received the Championship banner for the Grade 4 Girls Cross Country Team and were able to celebrate with them during our assembly!  

Project of Heart:  Project of Heart is an inquiry-based, hands-on, collaborative, inter-generational, artistic journey of seeking truth about the history of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit people in Canada. By acknowledging the loss suffered by First Nation, Métis, and Inuit children, families, and communities through the residential school experience, we also gain an understanding of the strength, wisdom, and resilience of the traditional peoples of this land. The purpose of POH is to inspire the building of relationships between First Nation, Métis, and Inuit and non-First Nation, Métis, and Inuit people in Canada based on mutual understanding, respect, and collective action to create a different future. This continual learning journey will result in an artistic representation commemorating the impact and loss. 

Happy Diwali:  Diwali the festival of lights, is celebrated by Hindus all over the world. Diwali means row of lights. We celebrate Diwali to illustrate that light is more powerful than darkness and good is more powerful than evil. To celebrate Diwali, kids wear new traditional clothing to show a new beginning. Families and friends prepare and eat special sweets and snacks as well as exchange gifts. Many participants often celebrate with fireworks throughout the week. Diwali is a Hindi word, in Tamil, it is pronounced Deepavali.  We wish everyone celebrating, a Diwali filled with laughter, love, and every blessing! 

Grade 4 Ski/Snowboard Club:  Earlier this week, families who previously indicated an interest in Ski/Snowboard Club for their child, received the permission package and email from School Cash Online.  If your child is interested but did not receive a package, please contact Mr. Johnson or Mme. Thibault.

Reminder - Picture Retake Day November 4th:  A reminder to families that Picture Retake Day will take place Monday morning. 

Reminder - NPS SCC “Cookie Day”:  Our first COOKIE DAY of the year is on Friday, November 22nd!  Hop on to school cash online and place your order until the November 15th deadline.  We will be offering delicious oatmeal chocolate chip, which is completely NUT-FREE as always!

On behalf of Superintendent, Sonal Gohil:  We wanted to share the following update with families, about the school board’s recent work to continue to try and secure funding for a new school in the Newcastle area.

At the October 22, 2024 Board Meeting, as part of the Resource Committee Report, Trustees were updated on capital priority submissions completed as part of the Ministry of Education Capital Priorities Grant Program. This program allows school boards to submit detailed project proposals to receive funding to address current accommodation needs.

As part of this process, the board has submitted five priority requests for funding.

Newcastle, Foster Northwest Neighbourhood, Grady/Ruddell Road Request

The first priority ranking continues to be for a new build in Newcastle. Significant enrolment pressures are being experienced within the Newcastle area due to ongoing residential development, specifically putting pressure on Newcastle Public School and The Pines Senior PS.

Given the long-standing safety concerns with the location of the intermediate and secondary schools on Highway 115, school board administration provided the MOE with two options for consideration for this site.

• Option 1-A includes a request for a Junior Kindergarten (JK) to Grade 12, 1,400- pupil-place school plus a three-room childcare centre.

• Option 1-B includes a JK to Grade 6, 481-pupil-place school plus a three-room childcare centre.

The school board remains hopeful that one of these funding requests will be approved to better serve students and families in the Newcastle/Clarington area. We will continue actively working through all available avenues, to secure funding needed to build a new school. 

Milestone Ceremony:  The date for our Grade 4 Milestone Ceremony was included in our Family Update last week and shortly after being emailed, we received a couple of queries about the future grade structure of NPS.  Please note, that there are no plans to change to Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 and we will remain a school that offers classes from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 4.  If you have further questions, please contact us at the office.  

November is the month when we wear a poppy to commemorate those who have served our country through times of war and peacekeeping. Our freedom came with a price - the loss of dedicated lives.  During Remembrance Day we also reflect and are grateful for the service of the thousands of Canadians who are Peacekeepers worldwide as well as those men and women posted at home. 

Newcastle Public School: Immersing Students to Make Community Connections for Remembrance Day:  Next week, all NPS students will paint a “Rock Poppy”.  Once complete, classes have a scheduled visit to place their Rock Poppies on the Cenotaph. Before the rock painting and throughout the week, discussions by classroom teaching teams will engage students about the significance of the Poppy and Remembrance Day. Do you know that we have an NPS “Mini Highway of Heroes”? You might know; but, not everyone knows its significance.

In 2017, 30 trees were planted along the path that joins the northwest corner of the school pavement to Beaver Street; that was one tree for each of our homerooms at the time.  We joined the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign, whose goal is to plant a lasting memorial to Canadians who volunteered to serve and those who died while our country was at war - 2 million trees for 2 million heroes. The entire school attended the ceremony before the planting. Mark Cullen, who is the Chair for Highway of Heroes, along with politicians of various levels of government attended; the NPS choir performed, and donations were made from the Newcastle Community to support the project.  When this project was completed, signs were placed at either end of our Mini Highway of Heroes, to commemorate this initiative.  

When classes begin their journey to the cenotaph, they will be taking a moment to highlight the sign that marks the beginning of our ‘mini-highway’ and will be talking to their class about why the trees have been planted.  The rocks will be placed at the Cenotaph and will be a part of the Remembrance Day Ceremony.  Our Grade 4 classes have also been invited by the Newcastle Historical Society to visit the exhibits that are on display as part of their experience at the Cenotaph.  

After the Remembrance Day Ceremony has concluded at the Cenotaph, we will be collecting our Rock Poppies and placing them on display for our students to see for the remainder of the week.  

Remembrance Day Ceremony @ NPS:  On Remembrance Day, all our students will be offered a Poppy to proudly wear.  In support of the Royal Canadian Legion, we are asking for a donation of a toonie which will be collected at school and donated on your child’s behalf.

On November 11th, the Newcastle Public School’s Remembrance Day Ceremony will commence at 9:40 am.   Families are welcome to join our ceremony, but we do ask that you take a moment to complete this Google Form by Friday, November 8th so that we can arrange for the appropriate seating.   

If you have any questions about this initiative or our upcoming events, please contact us at the school.

Dear NPS Families,

A reminder that our Remembrance Day Ceremony will begin shortly after our morning bell on Monday.  If you are joining us, thank you for completing our Google Form to indicate your attendance (Chairs will be set up at the back of the gym).  After our ceremony, a few staff along with Mlle. Will’s class will be attending the Newcastle Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Cenotaph.

Reminder - NPS SCC “Cookie Day”:  Our first COOKIE DAY of the year is on Friday, November 22nd!  Hop on to school cash online and place your order until the November 15th deadline.  We will be offering delicious oatmeal chocolate chip, which is completely NUT-FREE as always!

Newcastle Public School Celebrates Rock Your Mocs Week!  Attention Newcastle Public School students, staff, and families! We are excited to announce the upcoming Rock Your Mocs Week—an inspiring and culturally rich celebration that recognizes and honors Indigenous heritage and traditions.

What is Rock Your Mocs?  Rock Your Mocs is a week-long event where individuals across the globe wear moccasins to promote cultural pride and unity. It serves as a powerful reminder of Indigenous identity and resilience while fostering a deeper understanding and respect for Indigenous communities.

Background on Moccasins and the Tradition: Moccasins are traditional footwear worn by many Indigenous cultures across North America. Made from soft leather or deerskin, they are often adorned with intricate beadwork or designs that reflect cultural significance and craftsmanship. Each style can tell a story about the heritage and traditions of the people who create them.

The Rock Your Mocs movement began in 2011, started by a young Indigenous woman named Jessica "Jaylyn" Atsye from the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico. The day was envisioned as a unifying event to bring Indigenous people together through the simple yet powerful act of wearing moccasins, symbolizing pride, identity, and solidarity. Over the years, it has grown into a global celebration embraced by Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities alike.

Event Details:
Dates: November 11th to November 15th

Where: Newcastle Public School

How to Participate:

• Wear your moccasins or similar traditional items each day during the week to show your Indigenous pride and to show your support and appreciation for Indigenous cultures.
• Special Note: November 15th is an especially significant day to participate, as it marks the official celebration of Rock Your Mocs. Let’s ensure we have a strong show of support on this day!

Join us in honoring and celebrating Indigenous heritage throughout the week.

Together, let's Rock Our Mocs!

Lastly, Congratulations to all who joined in our Spirit Day today!  

Happy Friday, everyone!

Christopher Johnson (Principal)   Eric Grice (Vice Principal)

Dear NPS Families,

On behalf of the NPS School Community Council, please see the following information about our Annual Winter Market, Giving Tree, Winter Clothing Swap & More!

NPS Annual Winter Market:  Our NPS Annual Winter Market is upon us, with amazing local vendors, yummy treats, and some hot drinks to enjoy with friends and family! Looking for a unique holiday gift? Come and look at what we have to offer. Join us on Wednesday, November 27th from 2:00 pm -7:30 pm in the gym. Our wonderful Mr. Mac will be bringing the students down in groups to get a head start on their wish lists throughout the afternoon too!

The Giving Tree: A new addition this year is our 'Giving Tree' that we will have set up for donations for families in need. Kindness is contagious!

Winter Clothing Swap:  We are also bringing back our Winter Clothing Swap! This will start on the night of our Winter Market and continue through November 28th and 29th all after school. Bring any gently used winter clothes to swap or leave for other families to pick up. Even if you don't have anything to bring and are looking for an item or items, come check it out. Let's help each other out in the school and community! If you have good condition, washed clothing that is tear and stain-free that you'd like to donate ahead of the set dates, please drop it off at the office at your convenience. 

We would like to ask any of our wonderful community of parents, grandparents, family, and friends if they can donate cookies for our winter cafe! If you are able and willing, please fill out this form - Cookie Donation Sign-Up

We appreciate your kindness and generosity in making our school the best it can be! It takes a village.☺️

Sincerely, 

Stefanie Lingard

With winter weather conditions soon to be upon us, we would like to provide you with STSCO’s Winter Weather Newsletter. If you have any questions about the Newsletter or the winter procedures, please contact the STSCO office.

Dear NPS Families,

The season is starting to change and the potential for winter-like weather conditions may be upon us sooner than we realize. Families are asked to PLEASE label their child’s clothing as it can sometimes get difficult to determine whose pink or black snow pants are whose, or who those black winter boots belong to. On behalf of our growing “LOST” but not yet “FOUND”, please label up!! Families are welcome to stop by and visit our Lost & Found - just check in with us at the office.  

Wintery Weather - schools & buses: Schools will rarely be closed due to weather; however, weather conditions can result in canceled buses. Bus families are reminded to download the app, “BusPlanner Delays.”  For instructions, please click this here.  

NPS Clubs, Teams, and Spirit:  We have many opportunities currently and on the horizon for our students. Our Student Leadership continues to meet and lead various initiatives throughout our School, and they are doing an amazing job with morning announcements! Yesterday’s “Taylor Swift Day” was filled with music - Inspired by our Secretary Team & a BIG THANKS to the Student Leadership Team for promoting this Spirit Day!; Our NPS Choir recorded their CBC music contest entry on Wednesday, and our younger Singing Club also recorded their song on Thursday; the Jr. Volleyball team continues to practice as their tournament is a week out; Lego Club has started for the Grade 1’s; Battle of the Books Teams is regularly meeting; Our Kilometer Club ran 427 km’s this fall and have wrapped the season but are looking forward to the spring to see how much further they can go!

NPS Mindfulness Update:  As part of the work of the Positive School Climate Team, we have started several mindfulness initiatives over the past few weeks. A big thanks to Mrs. Shotlander, Mrs. Wilson, and Mlle. Robson for starting the NPS Grade 3/4 “Mindfulness Club”. 17 students attended the first meeting and were very excited about the upcoming learning. Another big thanks to the leadership club, Mrs. Cole, and our Durham Public Health Nurse Mrs. Gilbank as they have been working on “Mindful Monday” announcements. The students have been very passionate about sharing their learning about the parts of the brain and how we can use strategies to help calm ourselves. Next time you stop by please check out the display in the front foyer that highlights some of this learning! 

Remembrance Day:  Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Remembrance Day Ceremony earlier this week. We appreciate that families were able to join! Thank you, Crystal Northey, and the Newcastle Historical Society for the learning opportunities for our Grade 4 students. And lastly, thank you to everyone who made a poppy donation - $244 is being forwarded to the Legion.

NPS SCC presents, “FlipGive”:  This holiday season let's work together to raise funds for our in-school experiences at Newcastle Public School by using FlipGive when you are doing your shopping!  How does FlipGive work? Start your online shopping using FlipGive (website or app) and earn a percentage of the purchase as cash back for our team! With over 700 brands you can do your online shopping directly through FlipGive or purchase gift cards to shop at the stores and visit the restaurants you love!

To use, visit FlipGive or download the FlipGive App. Join our team with the code X77C69 and select Newcastle Public School. With a little extra effort and no added cost, a percentage of each purchase will be added to our fundraising goal for Newcastle Parent Council!  Happy shopping!

NPS SCC Reminders: NPS Annual Winter Market:  Looking for a unique holiday gift? Come and take a look at what we have to offer. Join us in the gym on Wednesday, November 27th from 2:00 pm -7:30 pm. The Giving Tree: A new addition this year is our 'Giving Tree' that we will have set up for donations for families in need. Kindness is contagious!  Winter Clothing Swap (November 27th-29th):  Bring any gently used winter clothes to swap or leave for other families to pick up. Even if you have nothing to bring and are looking for an item, please come check it out. Let's help each other out in the school and community!

International and Indigenous Languages Elementary (IILE) Program:  KPRDSB is planning to offer the International and Indigenous Languages Elementary (IILE) Program for students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 who are interested in the opportunity to develop their language skills through a free, non-credit course outside of school hours. To learn more about this opportunity, please click here.

Upcoming Dates:

November

20th - Progress Reports sent home (available online in Edsby)

21st- Parent/Teacher Interviews

22nd - Jr. Triple Ball Tournament

27th - Winter Market (2:00-7:30pm,Gym)

December

2nd-5th- Nationwide Lacrosse (Grade 1-4)

2nd  - NPS SCC (6:00 pm, Library)

10th - Prologue Arts Presentation

13th - Bus Safety Presentations (Gym)

16th - Spirit Day (Winter Hat Day)

17th - Spirit Day (Hockey Jersey Day)

18th - Spirit Day (Green Red & White Day)

19th - Spirit Day (Comfy Sweater Day)

20th - Spirit Day (PJ Day)

We Wish everyone a wonderful weekend!

Christopher Johnson (Principal)   Eric Grice (Vice Principal)

Dear NPS Families,

In addition to Progress Reports and the Initial Communication of Learning (Kindergarten), families with a child in Grades SK-2 will receive their Acadience Reading screener tomorrow - Wednesday,  November 20th. Parent-teacher conferences or interviews have started and will take place for all families over the following weeks through to mid-December.  Your child’s teacher will coordinate options for families, including in-person meetings, virtual, or over the phone.  

If your child is absent tomorrow, the paper copy will be sent home upon your child’s return and will be available in Edsby. If you require two copies, please ensure that you have let your child’s teacher know.  

NPS Food & Toy Drive:  We will kick off our annual Food and Toy Drive this year on Monday, November 25th, so it is in full swing for the NPS Winter Market, which will take place on Wednesday, November 27th.  We will collect toy and gift items until December 2nd and food items until December 10th, as pick-ups have been scheduled.  All toy and gift items will be donated to Bethesda House in Bowmanville, and all food items collected will be donated to the local Clarington East Food Bank right here in town. 

The Clarington East Food Bank website contains a Wish List, plus they have shared a Top Ten list of items: 

-Spaghetti sauce

-Canned tomatoes 

-Large chunky soup

-Chili

-Crackers

-Pudding

-Canned vegetables

-Fruit cups

-School snacks

To support our initiatives: 

-You can send in non-perishable food items for collection,

-You can donate using School Cash Online. (Donations are not eligible for a Charitable receipt),

-You can send in gift cards for local grocery stores,

-You can send a new/unopened/unwrapped toy. 

Thank you in advance to our staff and families for their generous donations to directly support our students and their families at NPS.  If you know of anyone who may need some assistance, please touch base with us at the office.

Nationwide Lacrosse Clinic:  As part of your child’s Physical Education program, Newcastle P.S. is pleased to provide a Lacrosse Clinic from Nationwide Lacrosse to all grade 1 to 4 students over four days from December 2^nd to 5^th.  The Clinic will be provided by Shawn Evans (2-time Team Canada gold medalist and former Professional Lacrosse Player in the NLL) and Turner Evans (Rochester Nighthawks NLL pro and NCAA Division 1 Scholar).

The visit will include a discussion on the history of lacrosse, the importance of sport in our daily lives, as well as, hands-on ball and stick skills focusing on the fundamentals of lacrosse.  Skills that will be taught include proper hand placement, trapping and scooping, cradling, passing and catching, shooting, and gameplay.  Visit http://nationwidelacrosse.ca/ for more info. Thank you to our Newcastle PS School Council for providing the funds for this program.                                                                                          

Christopher Johnson (Principal)   Eric Grice (Vice Principal)

Dear KPR Families,

The first day of school is right around the corner and I hope you can feel the energy and excitement in the air as we count down the days!  

I hope that you’ve had a fantastic summer – finding time to connect with loved ones, take in the beautiful weather, and do the things that bring you joy. I am looking forward to a safe and successful return to school and the many #WeAreKPR memories that will be made in the year ahead!

For students who may be experiencing mixed emotions about returning to school, we have a number of great resources to support them as they adapt to new routines and relationships. 10 Tips for a Successful Back-to-School Transition is a resource from School Mental Health Ontario that offers helpful tips to support the transition.

With more students, vehicles, walkers and bicycles on the roads, our priority is to ensure a safe school start-up in the coming days. Please be aware that school zones are busy places, and it’s important to be cautious when traveling to and from school. We sincerely appreciate the contributions of our dedicated bus drivers, transportation staff, crossing guards, local police services and municipalities in keeping our students, staff and families safe.

I will continue to send bi-weekly updates to families this school year, with news and information to keep you informed. Of course, another great source of information and positive news is our KPR social media accounts. Please follow @kprschools on Facebook and Instagram for timely updates and #WeAreKPR stories this year!

Welcome back and wishing each of you a wonderful start to the 2024-2025 school year!

Best wishes,
 

Rita Russo
Director of Education

KPR News

Student Personal Devices

New provincial government legislation has resulted in changes to the use of mobile devices in schools. A mobile device is any personal electronic device that can be used to communicate or access the Internet, such as a laptop, cellphone, tablet or smart watch. 

To help ensure focused and engaging learning environments, all personal mobile devices must be stored out of view during the school day. Students in Grades K- 8 may not use mobile devices anytime during the school day (including recess), except as outlined below. Students in Grades 9-12 may use mobile devices during breaks.

Devices may be used in certain circumstances, including:

• for health and medical purposes,
• to support special education needs, or
• for educational purposes, as directed by an educator.

While these changes may be difficult, please know that creating and maintaining a protected space for learning in classrooms is our goal. Schools will be working with students to educate and support them as they adjust to these expectations. If students need to use their phones for reasons other than those outlined above, families should contact their school administration to discuss a shared solution.

Vaping in Schools

As you know, it has been our long-standing policy that smoking and vaping are not allowed on board property or in schools.

There are new provincial directives this year that support this policy, specifically that students cannot bring electronic cigarettes (vapes), cannabis, tobacco and/or nicotine products to school (including on school transportation).

If a student is in possession of an electronic cigarette (vape), tobacco or nicotine product, it is to be surrendered and disposed of.

As with the cell phone changes, we will work positively with students and families to implement these expectations.

Update from Public Health Partners

Public health partners have asked us to share that there has been a high rate of pertussis (whooping cough) cases over the summer months. They are encouraging families to ensure their children's immunizations are up to date and to get any needed vaccinations, including the pertussis vaccination, as soon as possible.

To read the full letter from public health click here.

For more information about immunizations and other public health updates, please visit your local public health unit’s website:

• Durham Region Health Department
• Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge Health Unit
• Peterborough Public Health
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Unit

Dear KPR Families,

Throughout September, schools are wonderfully full of community-building opportunities and learning for students, staff and families, such as Terry Fox days, school council meetings, open houses and so much more.

While this month has been filled with energy and excitement, my hope is that we each find time for reflection, leading up to September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

This is a day of remembrance, and a time to recognize the tragic history and harm caused by residential schools. We honour First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children and communities impacted by the residential school system and remember those who never returned home. In recognition of this observance, flags will be flown at half-mast at KPR schools and education centres. Schools participate in this day in age-appropriate ways, by engaging in discussion, reflection and learning that supports our collective journey towards reconciliation. More information about the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is available from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and the Government of Canada.

In the coming days, we will be celebrating National Custodial Workers’ Recognition Day on October 2 and World Teachers’ Day on October 5.  To KPR custodians, trades and maintenance workers – we cannot say thank you enough for the work you do to keep schools safe, clean, accessible and welcoming for all students and families!

I’d also like to extend my sincere thanks to all of the amazing educators at KPR who have powerful impacts on many students every day, and every year. The collective commitment of all KPR staff to student success and well-being helps all students to excel in learning, succeed in life and enrich our communities!

For more information on days of significance coming up next month, including Rosh Hashanah from October 2-4 and National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) on October 4, please visit KPR’s events calendar.

Sincerely,

Rita Russo
Director of Education

KPR News

PA Day Learning

We continue to share information with families about how KPR staff are learning and working together on Professional Activity (PA) Days to support students’ success. Detailed information about PA Days is posted on the KPR website, at www.kprschools.ca/pa-day-learning .

The September 27 Professional Activity (PA) Day will focus on the following areas:

• Literacy in Elementary and Secondary Schools
• Numeracy (Math) in Elementary Schools
• Secondary School Code of Conduct, and
• School Improvement Planning

Both teaching and support staff are participating in learning sessions focused on well-being and supporting student success. Thank you to everyone engaged in this important work. 

Report IT!

While we encourage students, staff and families to first address concerns directly with those involved in the situation, e.g. the teacher, principal, manager or superintendent, concerns may also be reported confidentially, through the online reporting tool – Report IT!  

More information about the Commissioner's Office of Human Rights, Equity & Accessibility and Report IT! is available on the Board website or by contacting the office directly at cohrea@kprdsb.ca  

Dear KPR Families,

As we approach the first long weekend of the school year, I want to say how truly grateful I am to everyone in the KPR community, for everything you do to support students every day.

October 10 is World Mental Health Day, and it serves as an essential reminder of the importance of well-being in our daily lives, and the need to collaboratively support positive change in mental heath for students, staff and families.

At times, our news feeds can become filled with stories of natural disasters, war and tragedy that can cause us to feel overwhelmed. While information and knowledge are important, I urge everyone to please look after yourselves and loved ones during times of challenge. Please be mindful in paying attention to your mental health, and that of those around you.

October 12 marks the most holy day in Judaism, and I would like to wish those observing Yom Kippur a meaningful time of reflection and fasting. 

For more information about days of significance, please visit KPR’s Events Calendar.

Happy Thanksgiving to those who are celebrating this weekend.

Sincerely,

Rita Russo
Director of Education 

KPR News

Parent Involvement Committee Seeking Community Members

KPR’s Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) is seeking three community members with an interest in public education, to serve on the committee for a one-year term, effective November 4, 2024. Those interested are invited to submit a letter of interest by 4:00pm on Monday, October 28, 2024. To learn more about this volunteer opportunity, visit our website: https://www.kprschools.ca/student-and-family-support/parent-corner/parent-involvement/ 

Engaging in Your Child’s Educational Journey - A Virtual Event

We are excited to be hosting a Virtual Parent Engagement event October 24, from 6:30-7:30pm, to explore the many benefits and opportunities that come from participating in your child’s learning experience. Learn about:

• The benefits of parental involvement in education
• Effective ways to communicate with teachers and school staff
• Volunteer opportunities
• Supporting school programs and initiatives
• Leadership roles in School Council and other committees, and 
• Education updates affecting families

Families, parents and caregivers are invited to register for the virtual event here.

Digital Citizenship Week - October 16-20, 2024

Digital Citizenship Week is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of preparing students to navigate the digital world responsibly and for the KPR community to engage in meaningful conversations and activities that promote safe, respectful, and informed online behavior.

Together, we can empower students to be responsible digital citizens and equip them with the skills they need for a connected future.  Families can find information to support their children at:  https://www.kprschools.ca/student-and-family-support/digital-citizenship/

The learning focus for the month of November is Treaties. To access weekly activities, reflection questions and resources to support your learning, visit the resource at the following link: https://sites.google.com/kprdsb.ca/passporttoreconciliation/site-map/truth-and-reconciliation/passport-to-reconciliation/treaties

Dear KPR Families,

I would like to begin by taking a moment to acknowledge the Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, who passed away on November 4, 2024. As an Anishinaabe leader, judge, senator and Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Justice Sinclair leaves behind a remarkable legacy of advocacy for Indigenous rights, justice and reconciliation. Sinclair’s work has had a tremendous impact on this country and the education system, as well as KPR and the work we do. Please join me in honouring his memory, as we continue our shared journey towards Truth and Reconciliation. 

This time of year is filled with days of significance that offer meaningful learning opportunities for students, staff and families. As part of Indigenous Peoples Awareness Month, schools are invited to engage in learning and celebrate Indigenous excellence in many ways, and are working closely with the board’s Indigenous Education Department throughout the month to explore resources and activities that support this important learning.

Leading up to Remembrance Day on November 11, we recognize Veterans’ Week to honour the service, courage and sacrifice of the generations of Canadians who served and continue to serve in support of peace and freedom. Tomorrow, on November 8, we recognize Indigenous Veterans’ Day, to specifically acknowledge the contributions of thousands of Indigenous people who served during times of war and peacekeeping.

Later this month, we recognize Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week from November 17-23. This is an opportunity to talk about bullying in all its harmful shapes and forms and reiterate that bullying is not acceptable in our schools or communities. By spreading awareness, and having tough conversations both at home and at school, we can work together to continue to promote safe, caring learning environments where everyone feels a sense of belonging.  

For more information about upcoming days of significance, Visit KPR’s Events Calendar. 

Sincerely,

Rita Russo
Director of Education

KPR News

Virtual Parent Conference Featuring Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe

Everyday Resiliency: Strong Kids and Well Families 

Registration is now open for KPR’s free, annual Parent Conference, taking place Saturday, November 23, from 9:15-11:15am! The session is open to all KPR parents/caregivers, family members and staff.

Dr. Robyne is one of only a few educational behaviourists in the world and embodies her teachings by blending real-world realities, rigorous research, and profound wisdom with her own personal journey. A mother of three teenagers, a high school dropout turned respected professor, author, entrepreneur and survivor of a life-altering accident, her life story exemplifies her unwavering dedication of spreading resilience.

Join us and Dr. Robyne for a journey on how families can cultivate resiliency in children and themselves through the five pillars of everyday resiliency. This keynote offers parents practical tools and strategies to help their children face challenges with confidence, optimism, and adaptability—equipping them to with skills to be well.

Registration and more information are available at Kprschools.ca

Early Reading Screening

To support reading as an essential foundational skill, KPR schools administered early reading screening to all students in Year 2 of Kindergarten through Grade 2 this fall. The purpose of this provincial screening is to:

• Monitor children’s development in early reading skills,
• Identify children who need additional support, and
• Guide classroom instruction.

Families will receive their screening results, with their Fall reports in mid-November. Early reading screening benchmarks indicate how students are doing on a specific set of reading measures. Students whose scores fall below the benchmark will be provided with strategic instruction to support their ongoing growth.

This new screening process reflects specific skills from the 2023 Language curriculum and only provides one piece of information about your child’s language and literacy skills. The screening results is not used to determine your children’s grades, but instead will help identify the support needed to develop reading proficiency. School staff continue to participate in literacy-focused learning focused on effective instruction that support students in developing as strong readers.