UPCOMING DATES...
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January 17th |
PAC Hot Lunch – Subway for those that ordered. Don’t forget a snack! |
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January 22nd |
Kindergarten Information Evening at Keating Elementary for ALL families registering a child in Kindergarten in the Saanich School District , 7:00-8:30 pm |
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January 26th |
Ordering for Hot Lunch closes today. |
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January 31st |
PAC Hot Lunch – Boston Pizza for those that ordered. Don’t forget a snack! |
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Jan. 27th-Jan. 31st |
Kindergarten Registration Week at Cordova Bay Elementary, 8:00 am to 3:30 pm |
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February 11th |
PAC General Meeting, Learning Commons, 7:00 pm |
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February 14th |
Non-Instructional Day – Students do not attend school. |
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February 23rd |
Ordering for Hot Lunch closes today. |
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February 28th |
PAC Hot Lunch – Subway for those that ordered. Don’t forget a snack! |
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February 29th |
PAC Silent Auction, 6 pm to Midnight, See below for more details. |
SCHOOL NEWS...
Lockdown Drill: Your child(ren) will take part in a Lockdown Drill on Tuesday, January 21 at 11:00 a.m. During a Lockdown Drill, students learn how to keep safe when there is a potential threat within the school. During a Lockdown Drill, students practice:
- ceasing all activities when Lockdown announcement is made
- clearing hallways and or play areas quickly and reporting to the nearest class (a loud horn blast will sound outside to signal students to come in if they are at play outside)
- heading directly to a designated safety area in the classroom, closest classrooms or washrooms (if they are not in their classroom)
- staying quiet and unseen within designated safety area, so that police, fire and first responders can effectively communicate information, as necessary, without distractions
- listening attentively to teacher, so that they will know what to do to stay safe
It is our experience that children, based on our explanations, understand that Lockdown is simply one of many other safety drills. Here are some of the scenarios we provide for children to explain why we do Hold and Secure/Lockdown Drills:
- gas leaks. Hold and Secure/Lockdown lets us make sure everyone is safely away from harmful materials.
- vehicle accidents. Large trucks carrying hazardous materials may pass by on Cordova Bay Rd. In the event of an accident, students need to be safe, inside and away from hazards.
- animals that have wandered away from their home. Wild animals who are away from their home are scared and sometimes need help from animal protection/conservation officers. When some animals get scared they are not as gentle, and we need students inside to keep them safe.
- general safety of students in situations that are beyond our control. At the elementary level, we avoid using the intruder with weapon language, as this can cause anxiety. If your child asks about this scenario, you can let your child know that their Principal, Vice Principal and teachers are part of a fully trained team, along with police, fire and other safety personnel, to keep us all safe!
Please do not hesitate to call me, if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Mary Lynn Heron, Principal
Kindergarten Information Evening: Wednesday, January 22, 2020, 7:00 - 8:30 pm at Keating Elementary, 6843 Central Saanich Rd, Victoria. Children born in 2015 are eligible to register for Kindergarten at your neighbourhood school. See attached PDF for more information
Kindergarten Registration: January 27-31, 2020 from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm at Cordova Bay Elementary. Children born in 2015 are eligible to register for Kindergarten at your neighbourhood school. Please refer to the District website for the registration process and required documentation.
Rescheduling of November 22, 2019 NID: The School Board approved the school calendar be amended to reschedule the postponed non-instructional day of November 22, 2019 to June 5, 2020.
The Power of Why: “Does Technology Inhibit Positive Classroom Relationships?”, A Blog by the Superintendent of School, Dave Eberwein.
PAC NEWS...
Bottle Drive: Huge thank you to those that were able to volunteer last Saturday. The weather held out for us and we made: $959
PAC General Meeting: Tuesday, February 11 (7 pm) Learning Commons. Join us for discussions around a Maker Space Project for our school.
Mindful Parenting with Dr. Sherman: Jan 21: 7-8:30 pm (Learning Commons - Library). Sold Out - At this time we are fully registered, but will let you know if seats open up.
Silent Auction: February 29 (6pm-Midnight), Tickets ($25/person) are officially on sale: healthyhunger.ca and Office. Please consider donating a product or service as we are looking to cre-ate a variety of baskets for the event. Donations can be dropped off to the PAC Office or Main Office, please label with your name and value. Many thanks....
COMMUNITY NEWS...
Step into Stem: The University of Victoria Faculty of Education would like to invite students in grades 4-12 to participate in a free Step Into STEM event put on by pre-service teachers in conjunction with Science Venture and the Canadian Association for Girls in Science. Our event runs from 10:00AM (check-in at 9:30 AM) until 2:30PM on Saturday February 29th and features four workshops. See attached PDF for more information. Click HERE to register.
How Technology Before Bed Affects Sleep: Information for parents/guardians provided by Shannon Husk who is a Clinical Counsellor and Prevention and Community Engagement Service Provider for BC Gaming who specializes in issues regarding technology (social media and gaming).
Did you know that 47% of Canadians are using technology one hour before bed? Even more surprising is the fact that 30% of kids are using technology after bedtime. Why is this important? There are many reasons. Studies have shown that technology before bed can cause problems such as loss of energy, not wanting to do schoolwork, and even feelings of depression. The light exposure from devices has been shown to stimulate brain activity making it difficult to sleep. Using media at bedtime can affect both one’s quality and quantity of sleep. It can also affect one’s health and negatively affect their physical and psychological development.
What can you do? The first step is to be aware of your child/youth’s technological activity. Experts say that it is also important to collaboratively create rules and routines with your child/youth regarding technology use. Some other suggestions are to regularly eat healthy meals together, encourage good family habits, create a calming environment, and provide a schedule for wake up and lights out. Studies have also shown the importance of “modelling positive use and attitudes towards media.” Finally, try to replace technology before bedtime with something else your child/youth enjoys, such as reading, having a bath, or something else that is a non-screen activity. Furthermore, it is a good idea to make bedrooms a technology free zone at all times including televisions.
References:
Brunborg, G. S., Mentzoni, R. A., Molde, H. , Myrseth, H. , Skouvore, K. J., Bjorvatn, B. and Pallesen, S. (2011), The relationship between media use in the bedroom, sleep habits and symptoms of insomnia. Journal of Sleep Research.
Fuller, C., Lehman, E., Hicks, S., & Novick, M. B. (2017). Bedtime Use of Technology and Associated Sleep Problems in Children. Global Pediatric Health. Canadian Sleep Society. Website. Retrieved from https://css-scs.ca/resources/brochures
Brisson-Boivin, Kara. (2018). The Digital Well-Being of Canadian Families. MediaSmarts. Ottawa.
Carter B., Rees P., Hale L., Bhattacharjee D., and Paradkar MS. (2016). Association Between Portable Screen-Based Media Device Access or Use and Sleep Outcomes A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr.