Community Update - September 8

Dear Bellwood P.S. Community,

It has been a great first week back to school! We are so proud of all of our students for working hard this week and for being kind to one another. We are excited for an exciting year ahead with a lot of learning and fun activities that will keep our students engaged and motivated.

We will be continuing to recognize students everyday who have Left Their Mark by following our school expectations, by being kind to one another, and by exhibiting our Character Trait for the month. Staff will be giving out Leave Your Mark tickets to students daily. Students will then enter their ticket into a draw that will be held every Friday morning where they will have a chance to choose a prize from our prize basket.

The Character Trait for the Month of September is Optimism. We start our day off by letting our students know that we are the home of the Bobcats where we Belong, Believe and Succeed. At our assembly today we spoke to the students about what this means;

Belong: We are a community where we accept each other, help each other and are kind and caring towards each other.

Believe: We believe in ourselves, we have a growth mindset, we try and don’t give up and we learn from our mis-steps. We believe in our peers and build trusting relationships with our friends. We believe in the staff at Bellwood, they are here to help us solve problems, learn, and succeed.

Succeed: We are successful and happy at school. We are a part of a welcoming community that helps us learn and build strong relationships with everyone in our school community.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Please see below for our weekly updates;

Expectations at Bellwood P.S.

Today at our assembly we went over the following expectations;

· We use kind respectful words with one another eg, no name calling, we listen to each other and speak one at a time

· We are respectful to ALL staff and adults who work in our building

· Our hands are for helping not hurting. Hands off…

· Cell phones are not to be used at school unless directly supervised by staff. If you need to use the phone to call your parents, please come to the office. Cell phones should be put away as soon as you are on school property

· We move through the hallways in a respectful manner, eg. No running

Student Accident Insurance

Providing safe learning environments is a strong and constant focus at the Durham District School Board. Families should however recognize that there is always a potential risk of injury with field trips, sports and other student activities both on and off school grounds. Accidents can happen, despite precautions to prevent them. Accidental injuries may involve medical, dental or other expenses not covered by provincial health care or employer group plans.

Please be aware that the Durham District School Board does not provide accident insurance coverage for student injuries. For your convenience, we do make available a Student Accident Insurance program through Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada. This program offers a variety of plans and benefits at affordable prices.

All rates are one-time annual premiums. The insurance agreement is between you and Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada. For complete details please refer to the insuremykids Protection Plan information/application form or visit their website at: www.insuremykids.com.

Any questions should be directed to Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada toll free at 1-800-463-5437.

SCC Nominations and Elections

The School Community Council (SCC) supports student achievement and well-being through an advisory role with the school principal. SCC also supports parent engagement and communication between home and school. More information can be found at https://www.ddsb.ca/en/family-and-community-support/school-community-councils.aspx.

We welcome your involvement in our SCC. Please complete the nomination form (attached) and send to Sharon Knights at sharon.knights@ddsb.ca. You can also drop off the form to our front office. If you are having trouble accessing the form, you may also email me your nomination. Please have forms into the office by Thursday September 21, 2023

Our SCC elections will be held in person at our SCC meeting on Thursday September 28, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

School Cash Online

We will be continuing to School Cash Online for all school purchases. If you are new to Bellwood or if you have not signed up for School Cash Online, please sign up on the parent portal. If you need assistance with this, please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Robicheau-Stephens in our office.

YMCA PlayOn Afterschool Program

We are pleased to announce that the YMCA PlayON program has available spots at your school. Our registration process continues to be in an online format; below you will find a registration form that you must complete and submit. If your registration is successful, you will receive a confirmation from a staff letting you know your start date and important program details.

PlayON operates at Bellwood P.S. on Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays from dismissal to 5:45 PM. Please note the change in days from previous year.

Children from grade one to grade eight are invited to join us to explore nutrition, wellness, physical activity, and other fun activities.

A few details:

Program Cost: Nil

A healthy snack is provided everyday

Students meet staff at a designated area at the beginning of program; YMCA staff will provide details upon program confirmation

REGISTER FOR THE PLAYON PROGRAM

https://forms.gle/2pnBfLe2CrUKoEHJ6

Safe Arrivals: Reporting Absences

The Durham District School Board uses the online SchoolMessenger service for reporting student absences. You can report your child’s absence by:

Calling 1-844-350-2646 · Online or on your smartphone through the SchoolMessenger app

Save the Date:

· Treat Fridays: Will start back on Friday September 15, 2023

Cookies for $1.00, Chips and Popcorn for $2.00, Granola Bars and Fruit to Go for $0.50

· Meet the Teacher Night: Thursday September 21, 2023, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

· Picture Day: Thursday October 19, 2023

· Terry Fox Run: TBA

· SCC meeting: Thursday September 28, 2023, from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

· School Spirit Wear: Information will be provided at a later date

Dates of Significance:

September 21st

International Day of Peace

 Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.

Your Admin Team,

Sharon Knights and Gavin Ruddock