March 2015 Newsletter

FRANK J. NEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
5301 WILLIAMSON ROAD
NANAIMO, B.C. V9T 1L1
PHONE – 250-729-8045
FAX – 250-729-8058
Principal – Ms. S. Young
Secretary – Mrs. J. Buckland
Web Page: Web Page: schoolsweb.sd68.bc.ca/fjney
NEWSLETTER
Principal’s Message
March 5, 2015
As we change to daylight savings time this weekend, I can tell that spring has arrived! The energy level in the classrooms
and outside seems to have increased in direct correlation to the increase in sunshine we have been experiencing!
February was a busy month with Jump Rope for Heart (thank you Mrs. Fraser for organizing), the district grade 4 visit to the
Symphony, the Pink Shirt Assembly - raising awareness about anti-bullying and kind acts, words and thoughts (thank you
Ms. Dlay), a puppet presentation to raise awareness about having compassion for students with cancer (thank you Mr.
Gooden), and a wonderful Kindergarten Chinese New Year dragon dance (thank you Mrs. Degroot and Ms. Behn).
In addition, our boys and girls basketball teams have been working hard developing skills and team work and have had
some excellent games so far (thank you Mrs. Tuck, Mr. Kuzminski and Mr. Clouthier)!
Our PAC had their elections in February as well, and I would like to extend my sincere thank you to the executive for
their support and commitment to our school in the past year. Outgoing president, Shelley Roy is deserving of special note
for her leadership as well, as she has some out of the ordinary challenges to deal with during her term. Thank you Shelley!
th
Term 2 report card will be sent home on Wednesday, March 18 . Thank you in advance for reviewing the report card
with your son/daughter and celebrating their strengths and accomplishments. Many report cards that I have read so far,
suggest an area where parents can help their children is to help them read. It really helps to have a regular reading time
each day and to let your child read to you. Ask questions about what was read so children can continue to develop their
reading skills. Please contact your son/daughter’s teacher if you wish to get more information about the report card.
Susann Young
Registration for September 2015 has
begun. All children who will be 5 years
of age by Jan. 1, 2016 are eligible for
registration.
THIS MONTH’S VIRTUE
DETERMINATION
What is Determination?
Determination is focusing your energy and efforts on a
task and then sticking with it until it is finished.
Determination is using your will power to do something
when it isn’t easy. You are determined to meet your
goals. Even when it is really hard, or you are being
tested, you still keep going.
If you have not registered yet, we
strongly recommend you do so, as we will soon
be starting to look at class organization this month.
To obtain an assured space in your catchment school, you
must register by Monday, June 15, 2015. If you know of
any children of kindergarten age in the neighbourhood,
we’d be pleased if you passed on the word.
Applications for children living out-of-catchment are also
available at the school office. Out-of-Catchment
applications must be completed by Tuesday March
st
31 , 2015 to be considered for enrollment at Frank J.
Ney School for the fall. Be sure to apply to your
catchment school too, as we will not be able to let you
know if we can accept your application until mid-June.
Please note: when registering you will be asked to provide
your child’s original birth certificate and a document
confirming residency in the community.
UPCOMING DATES:
Mar 9
Mar 10
Mar 16
Mar 18
Bake Sale
Intermediate W.R.A.P Fair 12:30-1:30pm
Hot Lunch / PLC Early Dismissal
Term 2 report cards out
Mar 20
Last Day of Classes before Spring Break
Mar 30
Apr 3
Apr 6
Apr 7
Apr 13
Apr 20
Apr 21
Apr 27
Schools Re-Open
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Newsletter available online
Hot Lunch
Bake Sale / PLC Early Dismissal
PAC Meeting 6:30-8pm
Hot Lunch
SCHOOL/COMMUNITY GARDEN PLANNING
GRADE 7 TRANSITION TO HIGH SCHOOL
Our grade 7 students are automatically “transitioned” to
Dover Bay Secondary School, as we are one of their
“feeder” schools. There is no need to apply as this is
automatically taken care of for your child. In the event that
you wish your son/daughter to attend a different school,
you are required to complete an Out-or-Catchment
application form and submit it to the high school your child
wishes to attend, as soon as possible. Tuesday, March
31st is the deadline for Out-of-Catchment applications and
they are accommodated on a first come, first served basis.
KINDERGARTEN AND OUT-OF-CATCHMENT
REGISTRATION
Frank Ney teachers visited Gabriola Elementary School on
the Pro-D day to gather information about their two
1
gardens. One, older, established garden is for vegetables,
and second, in progress, garden is being designed for
each class to have a theme, such as beauty, plants for
building musical instruments, etc. We are excited about
the possibilities for our students and will keep you posted
about the continued planning progress.
UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS
Purdy’s
Are you planning on buying Easter chocolate? Why not
purchase it through this fundraiser and let the profit go
towards your child’s school? Purdy’s order forms will be
sent home at the beginning of March. Or you can order
online at www.purdysgpp.com . (Register as a new
member, join our group #24212, and start shopping! )
Orders must be placed by Monday, March 16 and order
pick up from the school will be Wednesday, April 1.
**LOST AND FOUND
th
On Friday, March 20 (last day of classes before Spring
Break), the Canadian Diabetes Association will be coming
to pick up any unclaimed clothing we have in our lost and
found box in the hallway. We encourage parents and
students to take the time to look in the lost and found and
claim any clothing that belongs to you, before it is donated
to the Canadian Diabetes Association.
Smencils Pencils
Smencils will be sold at big recess and after school on
Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6. Pencils will cost
$1.50 each or 4 for $5. The Smencils are created from
recycled papers and #2 graphite cores and come in 10
different fun scents. See you there! 
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME
th
This weekend on Saturday, March 7 is Daylight Savings
th
Time (officially 2:00 a.m. Sunday, March 8 ) and we spring
ahead one hour. Remember to set your clocks ahead one
hour on Saturday night.
Garage Sale
On Saturday, May 2, the PAC will be running another
community garage sale in the school gym. Last year’s
garage sale was very successful, raising $1700 for the
school! Let’s see if we can match or beat that this year!
We are looking for garage sale items. If you have any
items to donate, could you please save them and bring
them to the school on Friday, May 1. Or if you prefer to
sell your own stuff, rent a table for $25. Don’t wait too long
to reserve your table as they don’t last long! Email Brenda
Larson at
brenda.larson99@yahoo.ca .
STUDENT INFORMATION CHANGES
Keeping student information accurate and updated is very
important. If a child becomes ill during school hours, or in
case of an emergency, it is imperative that we have correct
phone numbers in order to make contact. Please advise
the school of new contact information, or an alternative
number that can be called.
Monique Grimmer
PAC Chair
fjnpacchair@gmail.com
PAC NEWS
NEXT PAC MEETING
The next PAC meeting will be
Tuesday, March 17th at 6:30pm
in the school library. All FJN
parents and caregivers are
welcome! Free babysitting is
available.
THE PAC AGM
The PAC annual general meeting was held on February
18th. Thanks to those who came out to vote. There was a
complete change in the executive committee. Charlene
McKay and I, Monique Grimmer, gave up our previous
positions and were elected PAC co-chairs. We are pleased
to be sharing this position and we look forward to working
with the staff and parents of Frank J. Ney Elementary.
Together we can help to make our school a stimulating,
fun and safe place to learn!
A BIG thank you to past chair, Shelley Roy, for all her time
and hard work over the past two years. Also thank you to
Brenda Larson and Jayne Heys, the past treasurer and
secretary. Thank you ladies for a job well done!!!
Election Results
Chair Monique Grimmer & Charlene Mckay
Treasurer - Carrie Van Hoffen
Secretary/ Facebook Admin - Scott Butts
Fundraising Coordinate - Shayne Todd
School Planning Committee Rep -. Charlene McKay,
Shayne Todd & Kristal Atkinson
District PAC Rep. - Rachel Kingsley
Earthquake/Emergency – Shelly-Anne Toop, Kelly
Marcan, Malena Acosta
Decorating – Shelly-Anne Toop
Hot Lunch – Cindy Bryson, Charlene McKay
Bake Sales – Kim Sharpe
Signage – Carene Boothe (until position filled)
Popcorn Poppers – Shayne Todd
2