September, 2012 - Lakehead Public Schools

École Gron Morgan School
174 Marlborough Avenue
Thunder Bay, Ontario
807 345‐1468
Ms. Denise Baxter, Principal
Mr. Darren Lentz, Vice‐Principal
Administration Team Message
Welcome back to school! The staff at École Gron Morgan School
welcomes back our previous and new families. Our staff has been busy
over the summer months preparing for an exciting school year.
Your child(ren) have settled into their new classes and teachers will be
working with them to ensure that they are comfortable in their new
environment and build positive relationships with their classmates. In
addition, students will be working with the staff to identify his/her own
strengths and learn how to use these strengths to be successful in
school and make positive choices.
We would like to welcome Mr. Darren Lentz as our new Vice‐Principal
this year. He has previously served at Algonquin Public School as both
teacher and Vice‐Principal. We are honoured to be your administration
team for the 2012/2013 school year. We are looking forward to
working with all students, parents, and members of the school
community. We welcome you your input and assistance throughout
the year. Come and visit us at any time!
Dropping Off/Picking up Students
Fire Drills
Please note: Marlborough Street currently has NO
STOPPING(East side) & NO PARKING (West Side) Signs on
both sides of the street. Please use Whitney, Ray, Cornwall,
or Hodge Street to park on and walk your child to the school.
Parents may stop in front of the school on Marlborough
Street –West side to drop off and pick up‐ but you must
remain in your car‐ we ask that you turn off your car if you
are going to be sitting for more than 15 seconds
Please do not drive into the Bussing Zone in the morning
(8:15)or after school(2:30)
We ask parents/guardians to ensure that students who walk
or are driven do not arrive at school before 8:15 am when
supervision begins
The dismissal bell rings at 2:40 pm. Bussed students are to go
directly to their bus. The busses leave on time and will not
return for late students. Parents will be called to pick up
their children if they miss their bus. Parents picking up or
dropping off their children are reminded not to use the
school parking lot on the south side. Students who walk are
expected to go home immediately so their parents know
they are safe.
At the end of the day, if a child wants to play on the
playground structures, a parent or guardian must be there to
supervise them. We also ask parents to remind their
children that skateboards, rollerblades, scooters and any
other wheeled locomotion are not to be used on school
property
For those arriving after 8:45 am, only the doors on
Marlborough Street will be open. Please sign in at the office.
Parents of students in Grades 1 to 8 are asked to wait in the
main entrance until the bell rings. For those with children in
JK/SK we ask that you go to that hallway at 2:25 to help the
children get ready.
8:30 am School Start time JK‐8
9:50 – 10:20 Nutrition Break JK‐8
11:40 – 12:20 Nutrition Break
Gr. JK/SK
12:20 – 1:00 Nutrition Break Gr. 1‐8
2:40 pm Dismissal JK‐8
We will hold three fire drills in the fall and three in the spring in
accordance with our fire safety regulations.
School Hours
School Council Elections & Meeting
School council is comprised of parents, teachers, non‐teaching staff,
community members and the administration team who work together
to improve the learning of students. The school council acts in an
advisory capacity to the school’s administrators and, where
appropriate, to the school board for the continued promotion of
student learning.
Join us for elections and our first meeting:
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
7 ‐9 pm @ Staff room
Volunteers and Visitors
All visitors and volunteers are welcome at École Gron Morgan School,
however, in order to provide a safe and secure learning environment
for all students, all visitors and volunteers must report to the office so
that we know you are in the building. The Secretaries will let you
know if it is alright to visit a class or if they will call your child to the
office.
Everyone must sign the visitor/volunteer sign‐in sheet. As part of our
Fire Safety Protocol‐ we must know who is in our school at all times.
Volunteers must have a Criminal Background check. Once you have
completed the CBC process, you MUST sign/complete an Offence
Declaration every year from the date of the CBC. If you have any
questions, please contact the office.
Noon Hour Supervisors Needed
If you are available any day(s) of the week, we are in need of noon hour
supervisors. This position is 1 hour/day during the school year. We are
also looking for “supply” supervisors. Please stop into the office and
our staff can give you the application package and more information.
Safe Arrival Program and Student Absences
École Gron Morgan School has a Safe Arrival Program for those parents
choosing to participate. Attendance patterns are monitored for the
students by our staff on a regular basis. Since our playground and bus
arrival area are supervised, the Safe Arrival Program is primarily for the
following:
Students who walk/ride bikes to school daily
Students that are dropped off at their bus pick up area and
left unsupervised
If these situations do not apply, this program may not be necessary. If
you are interested, please call the school at 345‐1468 to get an
application and additional information. Please be sure to call the school
with any and all student absences. If the students are arriving late to
school, please be sure they are signed in at the office.
Meet the Teacher & BBQ
School Council is please to be sponsoring a FREE BBQ for students and
their families. Please bring your own refillable cup/water bottle for
your drink.
Thursday, September 13 th
BBQ: 5 ‐5:30 pm
Meet & Greet: 5:30‐6:00 pm
Backyard off Rockwood.
Gr. 8 Students will be selling popsicles for $1 to raise funds for
Graduation.
Frontier College Homework Program
Gron Morgan is pleased to announce it is partnering with Frontier
College to offer an after school homework program this year. The
Program will start on Tuesday October 2 and will run every Tuesday
afternoon from 2:40pm ‐3:40pm until November 27. They will provide

tutoring in all core subjects and provide a healthy snack as well. Forms
for sign up and registration will come home later this month.
Bus Safety
The beginning of the school year is a good time to remind your children
about the importance of good behaviour on the bus ride. The bus rules
are:
Follow the bus driver’s directions the first time given
Keep all parts of your body and all objects inside the bus
Keep feet, hand, objects to yourself
Stay in your seat with your feet on the floor while the bus is
moving
Use acceptable language only
Do not lean out the window
Do not eat or drink on the bus
Keep all harmful objects off the bus
Do not litter, write on or damage the bus in any way
Be on time
Our École Gron Morgan Code of Conduct applies at all time
while students are on the bus
Pizza/Hot Dog Days
Pizza days will resume on Friday September21st for students in
Kindergarten through Grade 8. Although the cost of ordering pizza has
risen, we will continue to have the price at $2.50 a slice. Both Cheese
and Pepperoni & cheese will be available.
Breakfast Club
Breakfast Club is now open Monday to Friday to all students who
require breakfast. Students are to go to the Gymnasium stage for
Breakfast. Breakfast is from 8:15 to 8:30 am. Thank you to our
funders: Red Cross, Superstore, Walmart, EGMS staff donations and
generous parent donations.
Medication
We are only able to administer medication (prescription) to students if
the following forms are filled out and returned to the school:
1. Administration of Medication Parent/Guardian Release Form
(Med. Form 1)
2. Physician Information (Med. Form 2)
3. Administration of Medication ( Med. Form 5)
Please contact the school if you need these forms or have any
questions.
We ask that students carry puffers and epic‐pens on their person in a
fanny pack so they are always with the child if it is needed.
Student Information Sheets
Student information sheets will be sent home. Please verify that all the
information on this sheet is current and correct and that you sign the
back and return it to school. Please phone in any address, phone or
emergency contact changes as they occur throughout the year.
Upcoming Team Sports
Junior & Intermediate Soccer tryouts are coming up. Cross‐country
running will also be resuming this fall. We encourage all interested
students to participate in try outs.
Scent Free, Nut, Peanut and Fish Safe School
Some of students and staff have life‐threatening allergies resulting in
anaphylactic shock and death when they are in contact with nuts, nut
products and fish/seafood (including tuna fish). This contact can be
even second hand (ie. Touching something that another student has
touched). We have others who react to scents such as perfume, body
spray and smoke. In order to make this a safe place for everyone, we
need your help.
These products should not be brought/worn to school.
Please ensure food brought for lunch, snacks or special occasions is
free of peanuts, peanut oil, tree nuts, nut proteins, and fish. Children
who have eaten any of the above before school should wash their
hands and face prior to class.
Please read labels on foods before sending them to school, ie. Granola
bars, chocolate, chips, crackers, cookies, etc. Staff have been trained in
the recognition of anaphylaxis and administration of the Epipen. Thank
you Dr. Dobson!
Thank you for supporting us in our efforts! Let’s keep all our École
Gron Morgan School children and staff safe!
PARENT INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE 2012‐13
Lakehead District School Board invites applications from
interested public school supporters to serve in the
following positions on its Parent Involvement
Committee:
One (1) School Council representative representing
the Westgate CVI family of schools and four (4)
alternate School Council representatives
(preferably one parent representative from each
family of schools)
Two (2) alternate Parent members (must be
parents/guardians of children attending a Lakehead
Public School)
The purpose of the Parent Involvement Committee is to
support, encourage and enhance parent engagement at
the Board level in order to improve student achievement
and well being. Reg. 330/10 Sec. 27(1)
The positions will be effective November 15, 2012. The
Parent Involvement Committee meets a minimum of four
times per year.
The By‐Laws and application form are available on the
website at wwww.lakeheadschools.ca or from the Office of
the Director. The application deadline is Friday, September
28, 2012. Applications should be addressed to:
Catherine Siemieniuk, Director of Education
Lakehead District School Board
2135 Sills Street
Thunder Bay, ON P7E 5T2
Deborah Massaro, Chair and Catherine Siemieniuk, Director
of Education
Picture Days
Picture Days will be on October 11 th & 12 th . A reminder note will be sent
home.
Agendas
Agendas in both French and English are available for $5 from your child’s
teacher.
Remember the Rule? No Idling at School!
Beginning September 26 th , 2012, Ecole Gron Morgan will be
an Idle Free School Zone. Parents who drive their children to and from
school are asked to please turn off your engine while waiting at the school
to reduce air pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Did you know that leaving your car engine running:
Increases air pollution around the school right at the time when
there are lots of children running around.
Impacts children’s health because they breathe more rapidly
than adults and take in more of the pollution.
Wastes money – to the tune of 1.8 billion a day across Canada!
Wastes fuel—3% of Ontario’s fuel is idled away every year.
Can harm your engine because it is not able to run at peak
efficiency while idling.
Contributes to global climate change through increased
emissions of carbon dioxide, a powerful greenhouse gas.
When you are waiting at the school for your children PLEASE TURN OFF
YOUR ENGINE.
Idling gets you nowhere!
Need Glasses?
The Super Store is offering FREE eye glasses to children ages 4‐10, up until
September 30th
Conditions
‐ Prescription from an Optometrist must be no older than 90 days (Eye
exams are free for children up to age 19)
‐
Frames: $19.00 to $29.00
Lenses: Single vision Polycarbonate
RESTRICTIONS:
Coatings: Additional cost (ie: Tough coat scratch coat, anti‐glare, transitions)
Prescription: Within 90 days
Frames can be up‐graded ‐ just pay difference between $29.00 & higher
priced frame